Freaky Mad Darkness
by The Entity of Darkness
Summary: An old friend of Dexters comes to visit. Dexter is hiding his secret of being Freakazoid from her, but she has a secret of her own. First story! It gets better as you go along! NOTICE: Important author's note inside!
1. Chapter 1

This is my first time posting a story so please be kind.

I don't own Freakazoid. I did create the oc's though.

"Sister, hurry or we'll miss our flight!" I heard my brother call. I was in the airport bathroom fixing my appearance. My shoulder length fiery orange curls bounced as I turned to the door for a moment, "For the last time William, I'm coming!" I turned back to the mirror, examining my vibrant green eyes. That day I had chosen to wear a pair of black skinny jeans and a red T-shirt that read, "M is for mad".

"Charlotte! Please hurry!" my little brother called again. I sighed in frustration and stormed out of the bathroom only to be met by the smiling face of my brother.

William had short blond hair and deep forest green eyes. He wore a simple green T-shirt and jeans.

"Charlotte, you do realize that we're moving today, right? If we miss our flight, all of our stuff will be in Washington without us." he lectured. I put my hands on my hips and huffed in annoyance. "I wouldn't let us miss the plane, Will." I said, rolling my eyes at him. He shook his head at me, "Dexter is expecting us. You promised him in your last e-mail that we would be there a week before school started again." I glared at him as he sighed.

"We wouldn't want to be late, Charlotte." I put a hand over my mouth to hide the gap in my teeth as I giggled, "No, we wouldn't. That would be naughty." He grinned at my comment. Taking my arm in his we began walking to our flight.

So, that's the first chapter. Read and review, please.


	2. Back story

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

This is the back story for my characters.

My name is Charlotte Hightopp. My brother and I are moving to Washington today and there we'll meet up with an old friend of ours. His name is Dexter Douglas and the three of us will be attending the same high school.

A few years ago, our mother disappeared. We didn't know where our father was. Will was too young to remember him. As a child I had gotten into a bad accident and had gotten amnesia, so I didn't remember him either. We were sent money by our relatives to help us because Will and I lived alone.

Three of our mother's brothers offered me a good paying job at the cafe they own as a waitress and singer if I wanted to.

We were moving to get a new start. At our old home a good friend of ours had been killed in a school shooting. It was too hard to concentrate in school anymore and we decided it was time for a change.

So now, Will and I were hoping to just live our new life in peace and quiet. However, I had a nagging feeling that the new life we were about to get would be far from peaceful or quiet.

Read and review please.


	3. It's been awhile

Disclaimer: I own nothing, as usual.

Characters may be ooc. I tried my best, sorry.

!

I stretched my arms and legs as Will and I got off the plane. Our luggage was already at our new home so that was one less thing we needed to worry about. I looked around the crowded airport, searching for a familiar figure of my best friend.

"Charlotte!" I grinned hearing my friend's voice. Turning around, I was met with the sight of Dexter running up to me.

He was out of breath by the time he caught up, giving me time to take in his appearance. I couldn't help but smile at the "nerdy" look, as most would call it, Dexter had. I had to admit, I thought he looked cute, handsome even.

I felt my face heat up as I realized that I had just been checking out my best friend. 'Snap out of it stupid!' I scolded myself.

Dexter didn't seem to notice my stare though, and smiled at me, "It's good to see you, Charlotte." "Good to see you too, Dex. You've, uh... changed." I said, feeling shy all of a sudden. "You have too. Look, we're the same height now." I blinked in surprise at the comment, then measured our height. I laughed, realizing that he was right, "I guess we are." I then grinned, "I almost didn't recognize you. You look... handsome." I blushed at my own words. Dexter's face held a tint of pink as well, but he smiled at me anyway.

I was yelling at myself in my mind, 'Stop flirting with your best friend, you dumbass!'

I flashed Dexter a smile, thankful he hadn't commented on my compliment.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caused Dexter and I to look away from each other and towards my brother. William had had an annoyed smile on his face, clearly upset at the fact that he had been completely ignored.

Dexter turned to Will, smiling, "Hey, it's good to see you, Will." "Good to finally be seen." he huffed. "Not our fault you have a transparent personality." I muttered. William glared at me while I just gave him an innocent look.

"We should get to our house. All of our things are there already and we should get everything set up." he said, storming a head of us. "Do you want some help, Charlotte?" William visibly froze, clearly not wanting his help. Too bad Dexter wasn't asking him, he was asking me.

I had missed Dexter very much over the years and desperately wanted to catch up with him, see how much he had changed. With this in mind I grinned at him, not caring if the gap in my teeth showed. "Yes Dexter. We would love your help." I said, much to my brother's displeasure.

As we walked to our new house I heard my brother mutter under his breath, "This is going to be a very long day."

!

Read and review, please.


	4. How's life?

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

!

Having unpacked things from eight in the morning to noon, Dexter and I decided to go out to lunch. We had invited William to come with us but he wanted to unpack some more.

Now we were sitting at the Midnight Cafe, eating and chatting.

"So, is what Will told me true?" he asked suddenly. "About what?" I asked tilting my head to the side, confused. "About... the gang and the drugs. Is it true?" I sighed, knowing that this would come up sooner or later.

"Yes, I was second in command of the Jade Dragons. Yes, I used to do drugs. I was even arrested a couple of times." He looked disappointed in me, like I knew he would be. "Listen to me, though," I started, reaching across the table to grab his hand, "That's all behind me, I swear. I've managed to break up the Jade Dragons and I've been clean of drugs for two years. Right now, I'm focusing on trying to get a singing career."

He smiled, "You always were good at singing." I let go of his hand, shaking my head as I let out a laugh. "Please, I'm average at best."

Dexter always pushed me to be a singer. He said that if I really wanted it, I should reach for it. It was one of the things I was very grateful for; a friend that pushed me to follow my dreams.

"You're better than average. Why don't you believe that you're a good singer?" he asked, frowning. I waved off his question, a sign that I wanted to change the subject.

"So, your friend Danny, were you close?" I sighed. Yet another topic I didn't want to talk about.

"Danny was like a second brother to me. When I was in the gang, people at school treated me like dirt. Both teachers and students looked down at me like I was a disgusting insect. The only one who did care for me was William, but I wouldn't listen to him. One day, when I actually decided to show up to school, I ran into Danny. We had literally bumped into each other in the halls and I was really pissed off. I started yelling and cursing at him, but he wasn't fazed by it at all." I paused to laugh as I remembered that day. "Right away, Danny was able to tell what was wrong with me. He... he understood me and for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel alone anymore. We started hanging out more and more after we first met. He was one of the reasons I pulled my act together."

I paused as a feeling of great sadness washed over me. "It's hard to believe that he's gone now. It all feels like a bad dream that I can't wake up from. I moved on though. I know it's what Danny would have wanted." Dexter was silent for a few moments, digesting the information. "I'm sorry for your loss." I smiled sadly, "I wish you two could have met. I know you would have been good friends."

"Now," I started, trying to move onto a lighter topic of conversation, "What's new with you?" "Duncan's going crazy." he told me smiling. I raised an eye brow at this, "How so?" Dexter laughed, "Yeah, he's saying that some blue guy keeps beating him up." I couldn't help but laugh as I imagined Duncan getting what he deserved. "Some blue guy, huh? My hero."

For some reason, when I made this comment Dexter looked half annoyed and half embarrassed. That look quickly changed into anger, then complete embarrassment. I raised an eye brow at the swift change of emotions.

'It's like he's having a conversation with himself.' I thought.

Giving Dexter time to collect his thoughts, I turned my gaze out the window and watched as people walked by. It was quiet, quieter than I was used to. I smiled out the window, 'Such a peaceful place.'

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dexter staring at me. He smiled at me sheepishly for staring as I turned back to him.

What happened next happened so fast it was unbelievable.

!

Yay, cliffhanger! I might update faster if I get some reviews. As usual, read and review, please.


	5. FreakaWho?

Yay, I have three reviews! Thank you to Nathalorial, BlueSpeedsFan92, and of course Special Sam for taking the time to review. I appreciate the feed back. I will now try to make the Chapters longer.

Okay, this fanfic is actually the third in a series of fanfics I plan on writing, so some of the ideas may be a little out there, as a friend pointed out to me. I will explain everything in the story to the best of my ability, so sorry if it's a little crappy.

As I mentioned earlier some of the characters may be out of character, I'm sorry. I'm writing this as best as I can.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Freakazoid.

!

What happened next happened so fast it was unbelievable.

A giant snake's tail shot through the window and captured me in it's suffocating grip. The snake brought me up to it's face and there, on top of it's head was a snake woman.

She sat there, grinning. "With a pretty girl like you as my hostage, he's sure to come. Although," she started, looking towards Dexter who stood in the wreckage of the window, horror and shock on his face, "Maybe I should take another, just in case."

I growled, 'Oh, no you don't!' "Dexter, run! Run now!" I shouted at him. He snapped out of his daze and ran further into the cafe, out of the snakes reach.

She sneered at me, ordering the snake to tighten it's grip. "No matter," She said, glaring at me, "You are enough to get his attention." "Hey, crazy lady, who the hell are you talking about?" I managed to ask. The snake was squeezing me too tightly and it was becoming difficult to breath.

She laughed at my question, "Why, I'm talking about Freakazoid, of course."

My mind drew a blank at the name. 'Freaka-who?' All I could think at that moment was how psychotic this woman was. 'And people call me mad.'

"Listen lady, I don't really care what your beef is with this Freakazoid person. Let me go before I make a pair of snake skin boots out of your over grown worm." Even though I couldn't do anything to stop her, I could never let go of my stubborn pride.

She blinked in surprise, "You're not like other girls are you?" I glared at her, "What was your first clue?" The woman cackled, bringing us face to face, "You're awfully spunky for one so young. It's amusing." I smirked at her smugly, "You might want to do something about that shedding problem, lady."

Her eyes grew wide in outrage and she slapped me across the face. My smirk grew wider, despite the pain, as I realized that I had struck a nerve. "Squeeze her tighter! I don't want her breathing!" she screeched at the snake.

The pressure the snake put on me was brutally painful and I couldn't breath. 'Damn it,' I thought, 'My first day back in Washington and I'm already in trouble. Will's going to kill me for this, or at least give me another lecture.' My vision started to get blurry as I struggled to get out of the snake's grip. 'Damn it, I'm going to pass out.'

All of a sudden, the snake let out a yelp of pain and released me from it's powerful grip. I from the snake's tail and landed in a pair of muscular arms.

'What the-' I looked up at my savior, wide eyed and shocked. He had wild black hair with white lightening bolts and onyx black eyes. He wore a tight, crimson suit with a yellow "F!" on it. The costume was complete with a pair of white gloves and shoes and a black eye mask on his face. What threw me off a bit was his skin color. It was blue.

I instantly remembered Dexter's words in the cafe. / "Yeah, he's saying some blue guy keeps beating him up." / 'Is this him?' I thought in awe.

"Freakazoid, you came. I knew you would." the strange woman hissed. "Where ever there's a call for help, Freakazoid will be there to protect the innocent, Cobra Queen." he called up to her.

I raised an eye brow at Freakazoid, 'Do all superheroes give the same exact speech? Still though, I didn't think Washington already had a superhero. Oh, well. I suppose Will and I could still work here.' I glared up at Cobra Queen, 'She's at the top of my list of people to hurt, though.'

Before I could blink an eye, Freakazoid deposited me on a near by bench. "I'll be right back." he said, winking at me. I blushed as he turned his back. 'Damn him.'

The fight was over by the time the cops arrived, which was only a matter of seconds. The snake was in knots and Cobra Queen was out cold.

'Amazing! He was so fast and strong!' I watched as Freakazoid waved good-bye to one of the older cops. 'Freakazoid, what is the true extent of your powers?'

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't notice Freakazoid standing in front of me until he waved his hand in my voice. "Helloooo! Pretty lady, you in there?" he asked in an extremely obnoxious voice. Annoyed, I shoved his hand out of my face and stood up. I shot him an irritated look, "My name is not "Pretty lady"." "Then what is it?" he asked, clearly missing my glare. I sighed and ran a hand through my fiery curls. 'What's the harm in telling him my name?' My mind shouted at least a hundred reasons, but for some reason, I decided not to listen.

I turned back to him, a small smile on my face, "Charlotte. My name is Charlotte Hightopp." He grinned and pointed at himself with his thumb, "I'm Freakazoid!" I couldn't help but giggle at him, "I gathered as much." He looked at me blankly for a moment, as though he didn't know what to say.

"Hey, want to get a snow cone with me?" I raised an eye brow at him, 'That was random.' "I can't." "Why not?"

It was then that I noticed what happened to the cafe. My eyes widened in horror as I saw that the whole building had collapsed during the fight with Freakazoid and Cobra Queen. I ran over to the wreckage and dropped to my knees. "Dexter..." When I told him to run he ran further into the cafe instead of running out of the cafe.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Freakazoid asked, resting a hand on my shoulder. "I was having lunch with my friend in this cafe when Cobra Queen attacked. I don't know if he got out okay or if..." I couldn't even finish my sentence. The thought was too horrible. 'I just lost Danny. Please don't let me lose Dexter, too.' I silently pleaded. The ice cold feeling of fear gripped my stomach tightly and my heart clenched painfully.

Freakazoid picked me up again and put me back on the bench. He knelt down so that we were eye level. "You just wait right here, I'll find your friend." Before I could say anything, he sped off. 'I hope he finds Dexter.' I thought miserably as I buried my face in my hands.

"Charlotte?"

My head snapped up at the familiar voice. Dexter stood in front of me, a concerned look on his face. I stared at him a few minutes in disbelief. A grin slowly crept onto my face and I threw my arms around Dexter's neck, overjoyed to see him alive and unharmed. "Dexter! You're okay!" I exclaimed happily. Dexter was shocked at my impulsive hug and froze up. I pulled away from him, still grinning like an idiot.

Soon Dexter's shock wore off and concern washed over his face. "Your arms are bruised." It was true, my arms were badly bruised. I shrugged it off, "I've had worse."

"I'm sorry," he said apologetically, "I couldn't help you." He looked so angry with himself. I put my hands on his shoulders, "Hey, don't sweat it. By tomorrow the bruises will be gone. You know how quickly I heal. I'm just glad you weren't hurt." He sighed, but managed to give me a small smile.

"Let's head back. We still have a lot of unpacking to do." he suggested. "Sounds good." With that, we headed back to my house.


	6. The Past

Okay, first off, I know it's been awhile and I'm sorry. I hadn't been sleeping well because I've been having nightmares for the past few weeks. Though thanks to the patience and support of a good friend of mine, you know who you are, I stopped having the nightmares. Next, if any of you have been wanting to see what Charlotte looks like, my friend Special Sam, or on Deviantart, XlolSharksX has drawn pictures of Charlotte and I have put them on Deviantart so please check them out. Just type in "Charlotte Freakazoid" and they'll come up. If you haven't already, check out Nathalorial's Freakazoid fanfic "A Freakalicious Time" because it is very good. Last thing, if anyone reading this likes the anime Saiyuki I'm writing a fanfic for that, too. So if you like Saiyuki, please check it out.

Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Freakazoid.

!

"So, how did you find me after that snake attack?" I asked Dexter.

When we got back,Will saw the bruises on my arm and freaked out, demanding an explanation. After telling him what happened, Dexter and I went back to unpacking like getting attacked by a giant snake was no big deal, confusing the hell out of my poor brother.

"How did I find you? Freakazoid came to me and said you were looking for me." he said, shrugging.

'How odd considering I never told Freakazoid who I was looking for.' I kept this thought to myself, though.

"He's an interesting guy. Freakazoid, I mean." I told Dexter absentmindedly.

"What do you think of him?" Dexter asked, looking interested.

"Why do you care?"

"I'm just curious, that's all."

I sighed and thought about it for a moment. "Let's see, my first impression of Freakazoid is... he's a complete idiot."

Dexter's head fell and he suddenly became engrossed with the box of movies he was unpacking. "Oh." was all he said.

Then I thought of how kind Freakazoid was and a smile came to my face.

"But," I started again, Dexter looking up at me, "He was kind and I could tell that he had a heart of gold. So, I guess he's okay in my book."

Dexter smiled when I said this.

"So, what do you know about Freakazoid?" I asked as I picked up a box filled with my video games.

"Not much. Just that he's dating a girl named Stephanie from my school."

I set my box down on the couch for a moment as I turned to Dexter. "Isn't that dangerous?" I asked, concerned.

"How?"

I sighed, bringing a hand to my face in exasperation. 'Is he serious? Men are so clueless.'

"If anyone wanted to lure Freakazoid into a trap all they have to do is kidnap that girl to use as bait, thus bringing harm to both." I explained.

"What would you do then?"

"Well..." I started drumming my fingers as I thought. "I'd go out with someone who could defend themselves."

He chuckled, "You mean like you?"

I laughed, "Freakazoid's not my type. I go for smart guys with a good sense of humor. Guys that understand that I'm not like other girls and won't treat me like them." "Guys like you.', I added mentally.

I picked up the box again and walked towards the kitchen so I could take care of it later. Unfortunately I didn't get very far because I tripped and fell face flat on the floor, the box falling out of my hand and landing in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Ow." I moaned. "That was brilliant, Charlotte. Trip on a flat surface." I scolded myself.

"Charlotte, are you alright?" Dexter asked, rushing to where I lay on the floor.

"Yeah. Behold my ability to trip over a flat surface. You know it takes skill to do that."

He chuckled at my feeble attempt to make a joke and helped me to my feet.

"Is something wrong? I heard something fall." Will asked, now standing in the kitchen doorway.

I shook my head, "Can you put that box in the kitchen? I'll take care of it later."

Will nodded, took the box, and went back to the kitchen.

"Okay, I don't know about you, but I say we take a break." I said as I sat on the couch.

He nodded and sat next to me, gazing at the ceiling, deep in thought.

"Have I ever told you how grateful I am to you for encouraging me to start singing?" I asked after a few minutes of silence.

He smiled, "Once or twice."

I grinned, "Well, I'll say it again. I'm extremely grateful that you pushed me to start singing. I'm also grateful that I have you as a friend."

Dexter's smile dropped, "I didn't think you'd be happy about having me as a friend. Not after what happened when we were children and the loss of your memories."

I sighed in annoyance. 'God, how many times have we had this conversation?' "For the last time, Dexter, I don't blame you for what happened. I pushed you out of the way of that car because, number one, you're my best friend, and number two, if I didn't you'd be dead. The memories of my father and where I was born are a small price to pay, all things considered."

Dexter got a guilty look on his face, "You mean you never got them back?"

"Nope. Though to be honest, I'm not sure I want them back. I remember that whenever I brought up...That Man...mom would cry for a long time. I knew, even though she would hide when she did, she cried, and about him of all people." My fists clenched at the thought of the nights my mother suffered crying for That Man. "I remember there being days when mom wouldn't eat because she was thinking about That Man." I rested my head in my hand, frustrated. "I don't think I could ever forgive him for making mom cry and suffer." I slammed my hand on the coffee table in front of the couch in my anger, making Dexter jump in surprise. "If he loved her so goddamn much, why didn't he stay with her?"

I turned to Dexter, "And you know what the worst part of it was?"

He only shook his head.

"She'd always tell me, "Lottie, you're so much like your father" with this deep sadness in her eyes. I HATED it!"

"I'm sorry, Char." he said, trying to comfort me by using the old nickname he gave me.

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of anger that had filled my head. "Sorry, I lost it for a moment. Change the topic, please."

He was silent for awhile, making it hard for the anger that had filled me to disappear.

"What cafe will you be working at?" he finally spoke, breaking through my haze.

"It's called "The Crimson Moon Cafe". My uncles own the place and are gonna let me sing there."

"Maybe I'll come watch you sometime." he said smiling.

I managed a smile of my own, "I'd like that."

!

There it is. Read and review, please. Don't be afraid to make suggestions either.


	7. Secrets

Thank you to my constant reviewer Nathorial. I will eventually fit Emmet Nervend in here somewhere. I just haven't figured out where yet.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Freakazoid. Stop reminding me...

!

Soon, it became time for Dexter to go home. It was dark as He and walked to his house.

Before he went in I told him I'd come get him at the same time to finish unpacking. I also handed him a black motorcycle helmet with blue flames on it.

I laughed at the questioning look he gave me when I gave it to him. "You'll need it when I pick you up tomorrow." I told him grinning.

I smiled as he went inside and told me "Good night".

The smile dropped as soon as the door closed.

It was true that Dexter knew a lot about me and that I would tell him almost anything, but there were a few things that I would not tell him for fear that he would think of me as an insane monster. No, I would not tell him what William and I discovered about ourselves when we turned ten and our mother disappeared.

\'So, are you going to tell him?'\ my brother asked telepathically.

Telepathy was the first ability William and I got. It was then that we first knew we weren't like other children, and it scared us.

\'I wasn't planning on it. I don't think I could bare seeing the look of disgust on Dexter's face. I think it best that we didn't tell him.'\ I told him as I began my walk home.

\'Are your arms really okay, or did you just say that so Dexter wouldn't worry?'\ he asked, sounding very concerned.

I rolled my eyes, \'Yes Will. I'm fine.'\

He became silent for a minute, \'Are we patrolling tomorrow night?'\

\'Yeah, we'll need to get a good idea of where everything is in the city and the quickest ways to where. We'll also need escape routes to avoid being seen. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves.'\

\'Alright. Be careful coming home, okay?'\

\'Always.'\ I promised, smiling to myself. With that, William left me to my thoughts.

'I don't know why, but it feels like Dexter was hiding something from me.' I thought as I analyzing the day's events. I thought back to the incident at the cafe. I couldn't stop the giggle from leaving my lips as I thought about Freakazoid and his bizarre personality. 'He was quite the character. He seemed nice enough, though.'

Then, a thought hit me. 'Dexter said Freakazoid came and told him that I was looking for him. That doesn't make any sense though. I didn't tell him Dexter's name, nor did I give him a description of Dexter. Things just don't add up.'

I sighed and opened up my purse. I took out my silver pocket watch with a Chinese style dragon etched on the lid, a hand-me-down from my mother. The lid popped open revealing that the time was nine o' clock. I sighed again as I put it back in my purse.

'Will's going to yell at me for being late again. Then he'll give me a lecture on how it's not safe for a young woman to be wandering the streets without an escort late at night. I really wish he would just wake up and realize that we don't live in the Victorian ages anymore.' I fumed to myself.

"Hey, lady."

I sighed, 'You've got to be kidding me.' I turned around to see a group of three men wearing black ski masks and black clothes. 'Oh, for heaven's sakes! I can't catch a break today, can I?'

"That's a nice purse you got there lady." one commented.

I raised an eyebrow at them. "Thanks. I can tell you where to buy them if you want." I said, sarcasm dripping from my words.

One of the men chuckled, "No thanks. I think we'll just take yours."

"Not very subtle, are you?"

Another man laughed, "Don't worry, babe. We'll be gentle. All you have to do is be quiet."

I growled at the implication of the man's words. "Like hell you will, asswipe!" I sneered.

"Aw, you don't have to act tough, doll-face." one man cooed.

At the words "Doll-face" I snapped. A big, psychotic grin grew on my face as I laughed at the men. I felt a cool, tingling sensation in my eyes and instantly knew what was happening.

The men stepped back in fear and shock. "H-her eyes! T-they t-turned orange!" one of the men stuttered.

"Who said I was acting?" I asked in a mocking tone. "Now, gentlemen, I suggest you leave. My patience is wearing thin and I'd hate to have to hurt you."

"Heh, you, hurt us? That's funny, lady." one of the men said, trying not to sound scared. I would have convinced that he wasn't if his knees hadn't been shaking.

"Enough talk. You've had your warning, now it's time for you to pay for your actions."

With great speed I charged at the man in the center and leapt into the air, hitting him square in the face with my knee. Using my other leg, I kicked him in the side and sent him flying into the man on the right, causing them both to fall to the ground. As the man on the left approached me, I smashed my elbow into his face, a sickening crack from his nose breaking echoed in the empty streets. He grabbed his nose with both of his hands, groaning in pain. When the other two stood again, I put my hands on either shoulder of the man in front of me and lifted myself up so I was doing a hand stand on his shoulders. I swung my body to land behind him, then kicked him into the other two. The three fell to the ground in a heap, groaning in pain.

I took a calming deep breath and felt my eyes change back to green.

I turned to to the men and glared at them. "Let that be a lesson to you." I huffed before turning away to continue walking home.

I heard one of the men curse under their breath, followed by hasty footsteps.

Before I could turn around to check it out, I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders and the cold blade of a knife pressed to my neck.

"Alright, doll-face, don't move. I'd hate to have to splatter your pretty blood all over the pavement."

I resisted the urge to sigh and roll my eyes in my growing irritation. 'Oh, for the love of-! Didn't these idiots learn their lesson? Looks like some people have to learn the hard way.'

Just as I was about to do something about the situation, the man was knocked away from me. I blinked in surprise as the man landed back in the pile with the other two, and noted that the man's knife had disappeared.

"You really shouldn't play with sharp objects. You could hurt someone." I heard a familiar voice call from behind me. When I turned around I was met with the sight of blue skin, raven black hair, and a wide grin.

"Freakazoid." I whispered, staring at him, stunned.

"Hey, Charlotte. You sure get into a lot of trouble, don't you?" he asked, his grin getting wider.

My shock quickly turned into irritation. I huffed and glared up at him. "It's not my fault bad guys are stupid." I said stubbornly, crossing my arms over my chest.

A groan interrupted us, causing us to look over at the men who were beginning to get up.

"Oh! Wait here, I'll be right back." he told me.

With unbelievable speed he ran off in a beam of light. No more than five seconds, he returned, a rope in his hand.

"Here, hold this." he told me, handing me one end of the rope.

I blinked in surprise again , but did as I was told. Holding the other end of the rope, he ran around the men, the same beam of light encasing him as before. When he stopped, the men were sitting on the ground, tied together. Without speaking, he took my end of the rope and tied a tight knot.

"The police will be here soon, so we can go." he said as he tied the villains to a street lamp.

Having made sure that they couldn't get away, he turned to me, still grinning.

'Does he ever stop grinning?' I asked myself.

My question was answered when his eyes fell on my bruised arms, his grin fading into a frown. He walked up to me and lifted my right arm to examine the bruises.

"Aww, nut bunnies! Cobra Queen's snake did this, didn't it?"

I nodded slowly, "Yeah, but it's not that bad."

He gave me a disbelieving look. He gently pressed his thumb on my bruise, causing me to wince in pain. "Not that bad, huh?"

I let out a nervous giggle as he called my bluff. He gently rubbed his thumb over where he had pressed down, as though trying to soothe the pain. "I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner. If I had, this wouldn't have happened." he said guiltily.

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose with my left hand. "You know, you're starting to sound like a friend of mine." I told him, annoyed. Of course I meant Dexter.

At my own mention of Dexter, the questions I asked myself earlier flooded my mind.

I withdrew my arm from Freakazoid's grasp as I asked, "How did you know who I was looking for?"

He gave me a confused look, "Huh?"

"Earlier, at the cafe with Cobra Queen. I told you I was looking for my friend, but I never told you his name. How?"

He was silent for a minute, then put a smile on his face that bordered on nervous. He was clearly caught off guard by my question. "When you ran in front of the cafe I heard you say Dexter. Also, I found your friend calling out your name. So, I put two and two together."

I narrowed my eyes at him. Even though he gave reasonable answers, I didn't believe him. It felt like he was hiding something. 'Something stinks here and it's not the garbage tied to the street lamp.' Sighing, I decided to let it go. 'For now, anyway.'

"So, how did you find me? And don't give me that "Where ever there's a call for help" bullshit, either." I asked.

He gaped at me, shock by my language. 'Apparently, girls around here don't curse.'

"Don't lecture me about my language, either. I get enough of that from my brother." I added as I crossed my arms again.

Freakazoid shook his head quickly, shaking off his shock. "You're not like other girls." he stated stupidly.

I snorted, "You're not like other superheroes, so we're even. Now answer my question."

"I was patrolling the city." he answered a little too quickly. "I mean, I'm a super hero, it's what I do."

"What are you doing out here so late at night, Char?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I was walking home from a friends-" I paused as a thought hit me.

"Did you just call me "Char"?" I asked incredulously. Normally, the nickname for "Charlotte" was "Lottie". Only Dexter ever called me "Char".

"Yeah. Charlotte is such a mouthful, so I thought I'd call you "Char"." he explained, a grin forming on his blue features.

I shrugged off the coincidence and continued. "Anyway, I was walking home from a friends house when these idiots jumped me. They thought that since I'm female I'd be an easy target, but they bit off more then they could chew. My family is full of martial arts experts and fighters, so taking care of these guys was a piece of cake."

He nodded, "Do you want me to take you home?"

I raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him. "Are you joking?"

"It would put my mind at ease. Plus, it's kinda late."

I looked at my pocket watch again and sighed. 'Nine fifty-five. Will's gonna kill me.' I ran a hand through my hair. "Alright. I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

He grinned, "Not at all."

He picked me up bridal style, surprising me and causing me to wrap my arms around his neck. I shot him a "What-the-hell" look.

"It'll be faster this way."

Asking me where I lived, he sped off.

When I opened the door to my house I was greeted to a frantic William.

"Charlotte! Are you alright? You were so late that I had assumed-" he trailed off as he noticed Freakazoid standing next to me in the doorway. "Who are you?" he asked slowly.

He pointed to himself with his thumb, "I'm Freakazoid! And you," he grabbed Will's hand and started shaking it, "Must be William Hightopp."

"Charlotte, explanation, please." he said helplessly as he gazed up at Freakazoid, dumbfounded.

I sighed, "Remember the incident at the cafe? Freakazoid rescued me. While I was walking home I got jumped by three guys and he beat them up." I purposely left out the part where I beat them up so Will wouldn't worry.

Will became silent, absorbing the information. "Thank you, for protecting my sister." he told him.

Freakazoid saluted, grinning, "Just doing my part." He then turned to me, "Be careful, okay?"

I almost rolled my eyes, but decided against it. "I'll be careful." I said as I gave him a reassuring smile.

He grinned at me and sped off into the night.

"Freakazoid is Washington's very own super hero, before you ask." I told my brother.

"Will we be working with him, then?" he asked.

"If need be. We don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves. If we stick around Freakazoid we'll undoubtedly attract endless attention. It's best if we try to work by ourselves."

I stretched and yawned, "I'm going to bed. I have to go get Dexter in the morning."

As I walked up the stairs, Will spoke. "Hey, Charlotte."

I stopped to look at him. "Your bike is unpacked and ready to ride. It's in the garage."

I grinned at this and continued my way up the steps.

!

Well, I think this is my longest chapter yet. One of the things I like about this chapter is Will's reaction to Freakazoid. 'Cause, really, who WOULDN'T be shocked to see a man with blue skin walk their sister home? Okay, virtual cookie to anyone who can guess who Charlotte's father is based on the tiny hint I put in this chapter. Hint: He's from a popular new movie. Tell me what you think. Read and review please.


	8. Meet the family

Hello! Sorry, I know it's been awhile. My sister's having a baby soon. So we're getting ready for her. That, and my computer's being retarded. Okay, little note here, a few friends of mine have been reading this story and said that last chapter was the first chapter that Freakazoid heard Charlotte's last name. However, Charlotte introduced herself as Charlotte Hightopp in the chapter "Freakawho". Although, with everything crammed together, I guess it's really easy to miss. She didn't, however, tell Freakazoid her brother's name. Another thing, although updates may be slow, I will never abandon my fanfics. Why, you ask? Because I have read fanfics that I really liked and the author discontinues them. I'm not trying to be mean, but nothing bugs the crap out of me more! I'm planning on wrighting sequels in normal POV since everyone seems to want the whole "Dexter/ Freakazoid mind conversation" thing. One last thing before I finally get on with the fanfic, Nathorial guessed who Charlotte's father was. I'm not going to say it for those of you who wish for it to be a surprise. Note: I changed how Dexter's parents acted because, let's face it, Dexter's parents kinda suck. Have no fear Duncan Haters! Duncan will still be as much of an ass in this fanfic as he's been on the show! Now on with the fanfic!

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Freakazoid. That is, unless someone wants to buy the rights for me! No? Oh, well...

!

The next morning I awoke at eight. Quickly, I brushed my hair and teeth, and ate breakfast. Then I raced back to my room to get dressed. I went back downstairs and Will and I went out to the garage.

In the garage were the few boxes William hadn't unpacked yet, however we were going to take care of it tonight. Next to the boxes were two objects covered by tan sheets. William walked over to one of them, smiling. He tore off the sheet and I felt myself grinning at what was hiding underneath.

It was my bike,my beautiful motorcycle. It was black with blue neon flames painted on it. Will handed handed me a motorcycle helmet with a design that matched the bike.

"You're going to pick up Dexter on your motorcycle so we can head to the Crimson Moon Cafe, aren't you?"

"I planned on it." I said, tucking my hair into my helmet.

"Be careful." he told me as I got on my bike.

"Always." That said, I started up the bike and sped off to Dexter's house.

I turned off my motorcycle as I arrived. Getting off the bike I removed my helmet and rested it on the seat. I walked up to the house, rang the doorbell, then waited.

A woman with short light red hair answered the door, smiling. "Well, hello there! And you are?"

I gave her a smile of my own, "Mrs. Douglas, it's me, Charlotte Hightopp. Remember me?"

She blinked in surprise , then smiled again, "Of course I remember, dear! You've grown to be so beautiful!I can't believe how time flies!"

I could feel my face heat up as she complimented me. "Please, Mrs. Douglas, you're too kind." I told her, suddenly feeling shy.

"Nonsense, dear! Now please, come in, come in!" She ushered me into the house and made me sit on the couch in the living room.

"Dexter! Charlotte is here!" she called up the stairs.

"Mom, she's not supposed to be here until eight forty-five!" came the groggy reply.

"Dexter, it is eight forty-five." She called back.

It was silent for a moment, and then...

"AWW, SHOOT! I OVERSLEPT!"

I giggled at the distress in his voice. Mrs. Douglas shook her head, smile never leaving her face, and she walked into the living room.

"Are you thirsty, dear? I just brewed some tea." she offered.

I could never turn down tea, no matter how hard I tried. "Yes, please. That sounds lovely." I said, smiling.

She walked into the kitchen to fix the tea. I took this chance to look around. A group of photo's caught my attention and I got up to look at them.

One of the photos was of Mr. Douglas, Mrs. Douglas, Duncan, and Dexter. It was taken around Christmas time, if the Christmas tree in the background was any indication. Mrs. Douglas wore reindeer antlers, and Mr. Douglas wore a Santa hat. Dexter's orange cat, Mr. Chubbikins, sat in his arms. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas were smiling. Duncan was sneering at Dexter and Dexter looked like he just wanted to run from Duncan.

Another photo had Mr. and Mrs. Douglas alone. It was a wedding photo and the couple looked much younger. Mrs. Douglas' hair ran the length of her back and Mr. Douglas' hair was brown instead of gray. Both of them had a happy smile on their face.

I grinned at the next photo. It had Dexter and I when we were in kindergarden. Dexter wore tan shorts that stopped below his knees and a pale blue T-shirt. In the old photo, my curly hair ran the length of my back. I wore a sleeveless dark blue dress with little black shoes. I was grinning and Dexter looked uneasy. I laughed quietly as I remembered that it had been taken on the first day of kindergarden.

The next picture made my smile drop. It was also taken the first day of kindergarden, only this one was taken after school. Dexter and I sat on the ground at the feet of Mrs. Douglas, who was sitting on a wooden park bench. Standing behind the bench was a pale skinned woman with a kind smile. She had long, flowing golden blond hair that fell to the backs of her knees, her eyes were a deep forest green. Burn and blade scars covered her body, but not her face or hands. She wore a long, sleeveless dark blue dress.

The woman was my mother.

"I heard about what happened to Jade."

I jumped at the sound of Mrs. Douglas' voice. I turned to see her setting the tea tray on the coffee table. She had a small, sad smile on her face.

"You'll find her, dear. Don't give up." I smiled, comforted by her words.

"Now , sit and drink the tea, dear, before it gets cold." I sat back down on the couch, taking the tea cup.

"Dexter tells me you've become quite popular with your singing." she said, changing the topic.

"Yeah, but not much. Really, I only sing at cafes. I've got a job at a local cafe that's owned by my uncles as a waitress and a singer." I told her as I started drinking my tea. "But," I started, a warm smile slowly making it's way onto my face, "I would never have started singing if Dexter hadn't pushed me to. I'm very happy he did."

Mrs. Douglas smiled at me, shaking her head. "You've become such a lovely and kind young girl. It's no wonder why Dexter was so excited about you coming to Washington."

"Oh?"

"Yes, he wouldn't stop talking about it. You should have seen him the night before you arrived. He spent hours trying to find something nice to wear for when he was going to meet you at the airport. You're his only friend who's a girl you know." She leaned closer to me, "Just between you and me, I think he has a crush on you."

I smiled to myself as I felt my face heat up. 'Dexter having a crush on me? I think I like the sound of that.' At that moment, an image of Freakazoid popped into my head. I frowned, 'Where the hell did THAT come from?'

"MOM!" Mrs. Douglas and I turned to see Dexter standing in the door way with the helmet I gave him. He was flushed red with embarrassment. He ran over and grabbed me by the wrist.

"We're leaving!" Dexter stated, annoyed.

Mrs. Douglas waved good-bye at us as Dexter dragged me out of the house. "Have a good time, now." was the last thing I heard before Dexter slammed the front door.

I couldn't help but giggle at his expense. 'He's so cute when he's flustered!'

Dexter turned to me, a look of dread on his face. "What did she tell you?"

I grinned at him, "Nothing."

"Why do I get the feeling that you're lying through your teeth?"

"'Cause I am." I told him sweetly.

He groaned. Whether in frustration or embarrassment I didn't know. "Let's just go." he said, putting the helmet on his head.

Putting on my own helmet as we both got on the bike. "Hold on tight." I warned him, causing him to wrap his arms around my waist. "Here we go!" I said, grinning as we sped off.

"You drive like a mad woman!" Dexter exclaimed as I put the kickstand down.

I grinned as he took his helmet off. "Come on, it was fun and you know it!" I teased.

He shot me an indignant look, "You're a mad woman."

I laughed, taking a bow, "All the best people are."

He shook his head, trying not to smile, and failing. Laughing, we entered the house, got William, and left for the Crimson Moon Cafe.

The cafe was closed on Tuesdays, but Will and I were told we were allowed to come any day of the week due to the fact that our uncles lived in the apartment above the cafe.

"Uncle Liam! We're here!" I called out as we entered.

"Are you sure it's okay to just barge in like this?" Dexter asked nervously, "The sign said that it was closed."

"It's fine." William answered, smiling.

"Uncle Takashi, Uncle Tenpou! Anyone home!" I yelled, trying to get someone's attention.

"Tenpou? Takashi?" Dexter repeated sounding confused.

"Apparently, our grandfather was Asian and our grandmother was in love with Japanese and Chinese culture, hence the strange names." Will answered without skipping a beat.

'Know-It-All...' I thought spitefully. 'Takes one to know one, sister dearest.' he replied cheekily.

Before I could come up with a retort, a male voice interrupted us.

"Charlotte?" A man with light green hair and forest green eyes walked out of the kitchen, a warm smile on his face. He wore a long sleeve green button up shirt and a simple pair of jeans.

"Uncle Liam!" I exclaimed, grinning. I ran up and threw my arms around him. He only laughed, returning my hug.

"My, how you've grown!" He held me at arms length for a moment to get a good look at me. Letting go of me, he turned to William, smiling, "Ah, William. You've become a fine young man."

Will smiled back, "Thank you, Uncle."

Uncle Liam then looked towards Dexter. "And you must be Dexter ." He nodded nervously, "Yes, sir." "Charlotte told us so much about you. Go on up stairs. I'm sure that Takashi and Tenpou would love to see you." He then winced, "I must warn you though, Tenpou's office is a mess."

I sighed as we made our way to the stairs, "Yeah, so what else is new?"

"Uncle Liam is the one who owns the cafe downstairs, though Uncle Takashi and Uncle Tenpou helped buy it. They occasionally help out if there are a lot of customers. Uncle Takashi is a second grade teacher and, if needed, a high school tutor. Uncle Tenpou works for the government here in Washington as a researcher, though for what, I don't know." I explained, walking up the steps. I glanced back at Dexter, smirking as I saw the confused look on his face.

"How did you know what I was going to ask?"

"I'm psychotic that way." I told him, a smile on my face.

"Don't you mean "psychic"?"

"Yeah, I'm that too." I grinned hearing the his snort of laughter.

"You're so weird."

I winked at him, "And don't you forget it!"

We first went to visit Uncle Takashi; who was sitting in his bedroom, reading.

Uncle Takashi had short chestnut brown hair and deep forest green eyes, like William's. A pair of silver framed glasses sat on the bridge of his nose. He wore a simple green T-shirt and jeans.

"Uncle Takashi?" He looked up at me when I spoke. Spotting us, he smiled and closed his book. I ran over to him and hugged him like I did Uncle Liam.

"Well, hello to you too. So how is our little singer?" he asked with a chuckle.

Pulling away from the hug I grinned up at him, "I'm good. I brought William and Dexter, too."

He looked towards them and nodded in acknowledgment. "Are you going to see Tenpou?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked confused.

His smile faded in an instant. Uncle Takashi ran a hand through his hair, sighing, "Tenpou's been burying himself in his work ever since..."

He didn't finish, he didn't need to, I already knew the next part. "Ever since mom disappeared."

He nodded, "Yeah, but I'm sure he'll cheer up a bit when he sees that you and your brother came to visit."

I tilted my head to the side, slightly upset by the depression of my other uncle. "Is he in his study?" I asked, heading to the door.

"Yes. Be careful, though. His study looks like a bomb hit it."

Uncle Takashi was being nice when he said the study looked like a bomb hit it. Maps and scrolls decorated the floor. The shelves were practically empty as the books were stacked all over the floor. I could spot a few snack wrappers on the floor. In the back of the room was a black desk. Next to the desk was a trash can that was over flowing with garbage. On the desk was a little frog shaped ashtray that was crammed with cigerette butts. To put it simply, the place was a disaster area. Sitting at the desk in the back of the room with his head down was Uncle Tenpou.

Sighing, I walked over to the desk and shook him gently. "Uncle Tenpou, wake up!"

He slowly raised his head and looked up at me through sleep blurred eyes. It was then that I noticed his appearance.

His chestnut brown hair that was short in the front and long in the back was messy and sticking up at odd angles in some places. Deep bags rested beneath his forest green eyes and his silver framed glasses were slipping down his face.

His long sleeved button up work shirt, tan work pants, black tie, and white lab coat were all wrinkled.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Uncle Tenpou hadn't been taking care of himself.

When his sleep blurred eyes finally cleared he smiled at us. "Hello, Lottie, Will. It's good to see you both." He then noticed Dexter standing in the doorway. "And who is this?"

"This is Dexter Douglas. He's a good friend of ours." William answered.

"Ah, it's nice to meet you." he said.

I glared at my uncle for not taking care of himself. He spoke with Will and Dexter for a while before he finally noticed me glaring and turned to me. "Is something wrong?"

If it weren't for the fact that he was my uncle and I was taught to respect my elders, I would have smacked him. Don't get me wrong, I loved Unclce Tenpou dearly, but he could be an idiot sometimes.

"William, why don't you show Dexter around?" He instantly nodded at me, knowing that it was secret code for "I'm going to chew out our stupid uncle."

When they left my uncle gave me a questioning look, "Is something wrong, Lottie?"

I continued glaring at him, my irritation growing. "Yes, as a matter of fact, there is." I bit out.

"Tell me about it. Maybe I can help." I almost smacked my head into his desk. Was he really that oblivious?

"I have a question,do you like irritating me to the point where I have the desire to smash my head into the closest wall?" I asked him, my hands gripping the desk.

"What do you mean?" I sighed, "When was the last time you ate, or slept, or even relaxed?"

He plastered a fake smile on his face, "Really Charlotte, you don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"Well, apparently you can't! Don't pull this with me, uncle! You may be able to deceive the others, but I can see right through your lies as though they were glass!" I snapped at him, raising my voice. He hung his head in shame, knowing that I spoke the truth.

I stopped glaring and calmed myself down. "You've been trying to find mom, haven't you? That's why you haven't been taking care of yourself, isn't it?"

He nodded guiltily, "Jade and I were close. She wasn't just my older sister, she was my best friend." He let out a dry chuckle, "Sometimes, I just expect to see her walking through that door, smiling, saying something like, "Hey, mullet head, did a bomb hit your study again?" It's just so hard to believe that she just disappeared."

I shook my head disapprovingly at him, "If mom could see you right now, she'd beat you senseless."

He let out a weak laugh, "You're probably right." He turned to me, smiling, "You know, you're so much like your mother."

I couldn't help but grin. I was happy that, for once, I wasn't being compared to my father.

"So, has anything strange happened to you or your brother since we last spoke?" he asked.

I shook my head, "Other than the freakish strength, speed, telepathy, and my color changing eyes, nothing new has come up. Now, remind me again why you can't tell me what's wrong with me?"

"I would if I could, but even I don't know what you are, or what I am for that matter. Remember that our parents, along with anyone else who would know, also disappeared when we were young. Jade had said she figured it out, but disappeared before she could tell us. I'm just as clueless as you, unfortunately."

I sighed and looked at the clock. "Well, we should get going" I told him as I walked out the door. I opened the door, and before I left I glanced back at my uncle, "And for heaven sake's clean your study! It's a fire hazard!" The last thing I heard before I left the room was my uncle chuckling.

Soon day became night and I drove Dexter home.

"By the way," Dexter started when we reached his house, "I'm going to be busy tomorrow, so I won't be able to come and see you. Sorry."

I laughed, "Hey, it's no big deal. I'll just see you Thursday." With that, I left.

When I got home I walked past my brother and went upstairs, only pausing for a moment to tell him, "Will, get ready. We're leaving as soon as I get dressed."

It was time to do our real job.

!

Yes, I know I'm evil. I make you all wait so long for an update and when I finally do update, I give you a cliff hanger. I'm going to try to update tomorrow. No promises, but I'll try. I'm thinking of making a bunch of one shots that involve Freakazoid\Dexter and Charlotte's relationship. Things like when they're kids and when they're adults. Tell me what you think. Read and review please!


	9. Darkness Arrives

Yaaay! I gots reviews! Yes, I'm insane, but don't tell anyone. Thank you Nathalorial and Special Sam for your reviews, and an extra thanks to Special Sam for drawing fan art for me so I can post it on Deviantart. You guys keep me motivated to continue with my first fanfic. If you haven't seen the fanart, then please go check them out. Just type in Charlotte Freakazoid, or something. My DA account name is Darkness13if, just go to my gallery. By the way, I suck at describing clothes, that's why I asked Special Sam to draw them. My crappy descriptions don't do them justice. :( Sorry, Special Sam. Special note to Nathalorial, thank you for naming me as your motivation muse. Thank you, also for putting that easter egg in your latest chapter! *gives big hug*

Disclaimer: I don't own Freakazoid.

!

I gazed at myself in the mirror, body tense at seeing the form staring back at me. My fiery orange hair was tied back in a pony tail. The shirt I was wearing had no sleeves and connected up at my neck. It was black with neon green flames near the top and bottom with a pair of skinny jeans to match. I chose a simple pair of black boots with neon green to go with my outfit. Short, black gloves were on my hands.

None of that was what made me tense. It was my skin. My REAL skin, the way I really looked. I could only look at myself in disgust. My skin was paper white and with my face it only got worse. A strange shade of pink surrounded my eyes and my lips were an unnatural magenta.

I hated my skin. I hated it with a passion. It was ugly and strange. It was the skin of a freak, of a monster. But the main reason I hated it so much...

"_You're so much like you're father."_

...is because mom told me that it's my father's skin.

I hated it, but this way no one could recognize me. Which was good considering what Will and I were going to do.

"Charlotte, are you decent?" my brother called from the other side of the door.

I almost rolled my eyes, "Yes, Will. Come in." He opened the door and walked in.

He was wearing a neon green button up shirt and black trousers. A black waist coat sat on top of the button up shirt. A black top hat with a neon green hatband sat atop his head. He had black gloves on his hands and a black eye mask on his face.

"Are you ready, sister?"

I nodded, grabbing a steel pole that was a little shorter than me and stuck it on my back. "Yeah, let's go."

/"Do you see anything?"/ my brother asked telepathically.

/"No, nothing."/ I replied, hopping onto another building. /"It's pretty quiet. It's kinda surprising."/

/"Yes, it is startlingly quiet. Don't let your guard down, though."/

I sighed, /"I never have."/

The sound of shattering glass drew my attention to the music store across the street. The window was broken, allowing easy access for anyone who wanted to get in.

/"We got a robbery in Billy's Music Store. Do you need directions?"/ I asked him as I hopped down from the building I was perched on.

/"No, I know where that is. I'll be there soon. Be careful."/

/"Always."/ I replied as I approached the shop.

Much to my surprise, the one who broke into the music store was some sort of bull man, who had destroyed the shop in no time flat.

Various CD's were broken into tiny pieces at his feet and several cardboard stand-ups had been shredded beyond recognition. The bull man was now busy taking money from the register.

I purposely stepped on one of the broken CD's, causing it to make a cracking sound. It got his attention, as he had turned from the register to look at me.

"And just who are you s'possed to be?" he asked in a southern accent. By the glare on his face, I'd say that my intrusion was unwelcome.

'Too bad.' I thought, smirking. "At the risk of being cliché, I'm you're worst nightmare." I answered in a mocking tone.

He stepped out from the counter, a taunting smile on his face, "Listen little lady, I don't want to have to hurt you."

I snorted, "I can take care of myself, but thanks anyway. If I were you, I'd worry about myself." I paused and looked at the wreckage around me. "Why did you trash the store if you just wanted the money?"

His face grew angry at the question. "They told me I didn't have what it takes. They said I was horrible."

"Yeah, go on." I urged.

"They wouldn't give me a recording contract!" he shouted, furious.

I was at a loss for words on how stupid I now thought this guy was. "Let me get this straight," I began, sighing, "They wouldn't let you have a recording contract, so you decide to trash a music store. Yup, that'll solve everything! Dumbass."

He snorted in rage, "You don't know what it's like to not be recognized, all the while they're putting up fliers for people to see today's young'ans with no talent!" He then pointed to a crimson flier on the wall, "People like that!"

I glanced at the flier and instantly became pissed off. The flier was an advertisement from the Crimson Moon Cafe for people to come see me.

'No more miss nice Charlotte!'

"Listen, I don't really give a damn what your sob story is. I'm dragging your bovine ass down to the police station, whether you like it or not!" I declared, losing my patience.

He only laughed at me, "Can ya really handle that yourself, little lady?"

It was my turn to laugh, 'Poor moron has no idea what he's getting into.' "Bring it on, you cry baby!"

Apparently I struck a nerve because he became angry again. He charged at me, horns ready to destroy anything in their path. I widened my stance and planted my feet to the ground, ready for the beast-man's attack. Right before he hit me, I stopped him by grabbing his horns. I was pushed back a bit, but managed to stop his advance. I smirked smugly at the look of shock on his face. Using my monstrous strength I tossed the bull-man, by the horns, into a wall.

He began to get up, legs wobbly, looking dazed. "That's it little lady! Now you're gonna get-"

I never found out what I was going to get because at that moment several shelves and picture frames fell on his head, from having thrown him into the wall. He swayed back and forth for a few seconds before he finally fell over, unconscious.

"Did I miss the party?" my brother asked from the doorway, jokingly.

"Yeah, just took care of him. Can you tie him up?" I asked.

He nodded, smiling, and made several thin wires appear from the finger tips of his gloves. He tied up the beast man while I walked over to the red flier for the Crimson Moon Cafe. It said that I was supposed to perform this Saturday night. I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. 'I completely forgot about that. Damn.'

"He's all tied up, sister." William said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Good. Now let's-"

"Stop right there, Longhorn!"

I almost groaned in annoyance upon hearing the voice in the entry way. Freakazoid had arrived, along with the police.

"Hey, wait a minute..."

William and I exchanged worried glances before turning back to Freakazoid. Being seen wasn't part of the plan. I grabbed the bull man, now identified to be Longhorn, by the horn and tossed him towards Freakazoid.

"Here's your bad guy. We're done here." I said as William and I began walking out of the shop.

"Wait!" he yelled, causing us to halt and look back at him. "Who are you?"

Will smiled, removed his hat, and took a bow, "You can call me the Mad Hatter."

I glanced at my brother, who was putting his hat back on, before directing my gaze back to Freakazoid. "Call me Darkness." And with that, we left.

That night, for some reason, sleep did not come easily for me. I kept tossing and turning until I finally managed to slip into the dark embrace of sleep.

"_Daddy, tell me a story." a little girl with curly, long, fiery orange hair and vibrant green eyes said. The little girl sat in her bed looking at a man who was shrouded in darkness._

_The shadowy figure sat on the edge of her bed. "What story would you like to hear, Lottie?" he asked, his voice kind and gentle._

_The little girl thought for a moment. "Tell me the one about the Jabberwocky." the girl requested._

"_All right then." The man took a deep breath before speaking again._

"_'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves_

_Did gyre and gimble in the wabes:_

_All mimsy were the borogoves,_

_And the momes raths outgrabe._

"_Beware the Jabberwock, my son!_

_The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!_

_Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun_

_The frumious Bandersnatch!"_

_He took his vorpal sword in hand:_

_Long time the manxome foe he sought-_

_So rested he by the Tumtum tree,_

_And he stood awhile in thought._

_And, as if in uffish thought he stood,_

_The Jabberwock with eyes of flame,_

_Came whiffling through the Tulgey wood,_

_And burbled as it came!_

_One, two! One, two! And through and through_

_The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!_

_He left it dead, and with its head_

_He went galumphing back._

"_And has thou slain the Jabberwock?_

_Come to my arms, my beamish boy!_

_O Frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"_

_He chortled in his joy._

_'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves_

_Did gyre and gimble in the wabes;_

_All mimsy were the borogoves,_

_And the mome raths outgrabe."_

_The girl tilted her head to the side, eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Daddy, what does it mean?"_

_The man patted her hair lovingly, "I'll tell you when you're older." He pressed a kiss __to her forehead and tucked her in. "Goodnight, Lottie." he whispered._

Suddenly, everything blew away like dust and only darkness remained.

My eyes slowly fluttered open as sunlight began to stream through the curtains. I groaned and flung an arm over my eyes as I recalled my dream.

'No, not a dream,' I told myself, 'A memory. It was a memory of **that** man.'

I sat up groggily, 'I need to talk to Dexter about this.'

Then I groaned and fell back onto the bed as I remembered that he was busy today. I sat back up and got out of bed.

'I guess I'll just talk to him tomorrow, I guess.' I thought as I began to get ready for the day's events.

!

Okay, so obviously I don't own the Jabberwocky poem thing. I didn't put it in the beginning because I didn't want to give anything away. I just figured out how to make words italic and bold. Sad, but true. I don't really like this chapter much. I don't know why though. I know it's not as long as the others, sorry. Okay, by now if you don't know who Charlotte's father is, there's something wrong with you. Seriously. That's it, read and review, please!


	10. A Discovery Sort Of

(Sheepishly shuffles into view) ...Um, hi. Please don't kill me! I know it's been awhile, but you would not **believe** all the drama I have been through. There's something I wanted to address, it's about a review I read for my story a little while ago. I was going to update that day, but then I saw that I had received another review. Basically, the review said "Come back when you learn how to write stories". Needless to say I became depressed by the nasty review and didn't update because everything built up and I felt like shit. Notice people, I said that I was a beginner at writing and put this story up to get CONSTRUTIVE feed back. NOT reviews that just tell me how crappy my writing skills are. I know I'm not good at writing, that's why I posted this story, to get advice on how to improve. I digress. I apologize for the delay.

Disclaimer: I do not own Freakazoid.

That day I decided to take a walk in the park in an attempt to clear my mind. I walked to the park, deep in thought.

I slowed my pace as I neared the grassy area. I heard the laughter of many children and the voice of someone familiar.

I watched the scene that was taking place in the center of the park in amusement. Despite my best effort, I couldn't help but smile.

Freakazoid was playing with a group of children, running around to avoid being tagged by them. He began laughing, having been tackled and pinned to the ground by a few of the children.

_"I guess there's more to you than meets the eye, huh, Freakazoid?" _I thought, smiling at the heart-warming scene.

I sat down on a nearby bench, watching them play tag. A little girl jumped up on Freakazoid when he stood up, causing him to fall back down in a fit of laughter.

"I caught you, Freakazoid!" the little girl exclaimed, grinning.

"Yeah, you caught me." he managed between laughs.

He looked up, noticing me. He grinned and gave me a small wave. I rolled my eyes, unable to rid myself of my smile, and waved back.

He pushed himself up off the ground, carefully setting the little girl down, he made his way over to me.

"Hiya!"

"Hello, Freakazoid." I greeted pleasantly, "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, grinning, "I promised to play tag with the kids for awhile."

I smiled up at him, "You really aren't like other superheroes, are you?"

"You're not like other girls, so we're even."

I grinned as he used my words from a few nights ago.

"Freakazoid, we have to go now." one of the little girls said sadly.

Freakazoid knelt down to ruffle her hair, smiling, "It's okay, kids. Be careful."

"We will!" they chimed before running off to their parents.

Freakazoid slumped down on the bench next to me, sighing with a grin on his face.

"Tired?" I asked, a smile of my own tugging at the corner of my lips.

"Yeah, but I just can't say no to them, you know?" His grin faded into a soft smile as he watched the retreating forms of the children.

"That's really sweet of you. I respect that."

He looked at me wide eyed for a moment, then turned his head away.

_"Weird..."_

He turned back to me after a few minutes, grinning his stupid grin. "So, what are you doing here?"

I sighed, my dream, coming back to me in a rush. "An old memory resurfaced last night and I decided to take a walk to clear my mind." I let out a snort of amusement, "Or, what's left of it anyway. I wanted to talk to my friend about it, but he's busy today and I don't want to bother him."

"Are you doing anything today?"

I looked up at him, surprised at his sudden question. "No, why?" I asked slowly.

"Do you like snow cones?"

I shrugged, "Don't know, never had one before."

The way he looked at me you'd think that I had just grown a second head. "You've never had a snow cone?" he asked astounded.

"I believe I just said that, didn't I?"

He stared a moment longer, like he was absorbing the information. "You have to come get one with me. They're delicious, you have to try one! Please?"

I shook my head, smiling. "You're hopeless." I sighed as I pretended to think about it. "Gee,I _guess_ so. Not like I had anything better to do today."

Grinning, Freakazoid stood, took my hand, and led me to the snow cone place.

Freakazoid and I sat in the Snow Cone Palace, enjoying our frozen treats.

"So where'd you learn to fight like that? You really did a number on those robbers."

I sighed in exasperation, "What is it with you and constantly asking me things? What is this, twenty questions?"

My only response from him was a sheepish grin. I sighed, turning my gaze to the window.

"Let's just say that no one escapes this world unscathed. I've been through the fire many times and I've found myself drowning in a sea of problems that I created. I had to walk on the burning embers and fight to keep my head above water, all to survive." A bitter laugh passed through my lips as I thought about all I had been through. "I never want to go through that shit ever again."

"Sounds like you've been through a lot."

"Yeah,but things are going to get better. Soon, I'm going to be singing." I grinned at that thought.

"At your uncles' cafe?"

"Yeah, I start-" I froze, replaying Freakazoid's sentence in my head. _"Wait a minute..."_

"How did you know my uncles own a cafe? Better yet, how did you know that I have relatives in Washington?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. _"It's like that day with that snake lady. He knows more than he's been told."_

"Uhh..." His eyes shifted frantically, no doubt trying to find an excuse.

And then it hit me. The reason he knew who I was looking for the first day I got here, how he found me and the robbers so quickly, how he knew my nick-name, and about my uncles and their cafe, it all clicked into place. My eyes widened when I realized it. _"It's because..."_

"You're friends with Dexter, aren't you? That's why you know so much about me, isn't it?"

He looked surprised by my accusation at first, then he sighed with a sheepish and almost relieved smile. "That's right. But you can't tell anyone!"

"I won't." I told him, unable to keep the pleased tone out of my voice. _"I completely figured him out! I'm so awesome!" _I thought in a moment of conceitedness.

"He talks about you a lot." he grinned.

"Oh? And what does he say?"

"He says you're talented, kind, strong, loyal, and beautiful." he replied, leaning back in his chair.

I felt my face heat up, and I knew that I was grinning like an idiot. I felt extremely happy to know that Dexter thought so highly of me. Closing my eyes I thought to myself, _"If only I deserved your praise."_

"What do you think of Dexter?" Freakazoid disrupted my thoughts with his question.

I hummed in thought, playfully. "Hmmm.. Do I feel like telling you that? Um, no. I think I'll keep that to myself a little while longer."

I laughed as he pouted._ "He's so childish!"_

"So, when are you going to be singing?"

"Saturday. This Saturday at the Crimson Moon Cafe. I start working there tomorrow, though."

"Maybe I'll come see you sing." he suggested.

"I'd like that."

"HEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"

"Oh, gotta go! Nice talking to you!" Freakazoid said just before speeding out of the shop.

I just shook my head, smiling still, watching as he ran off with his arms up in the air making "Swoosh"ing sounds.

_"Childish indeed, but his company is refreshing."_

.:IAMALINE:.

_A school bell rings and dozens of young children run out of the school and onto the playground for recess. A little girl with long fiery orange curls and vibrant green eyes grins a gap-toothed grin as she exited the building. Humming a happy tune, she skipped over to the sandbox. When she got there she was upset with what she found. There sat a small boy sitting in the sandbox, sand being kicked in his face by a bigger boy._

_ The small boy had short brown hair, onyx eyes, and glasses that looked too big for his small face. _

_ "Hey, cut it out!" the smaller boy sputtered._

_ The bigger boy laughed, "What are you going to do about it?"_

_ Without warning, the little girl charged at the boy and knocked him face first into the sandbox. Lifting his head up, he spat out a mouthful of sand, and snarled, "Who did that?" He turned his head to see the girl glaring at him right before she stomped on the back of his head, allowing his face to become reacquainted with the sand._

_ "I did! You got a problem with that?" she demanded. She felt him shake his head from beneath her foot. "Good." She freed his head and kicked him in the ass, his face digging deeper into the ground. "Now get out of here and don't even __**think**__ of telling the teacher!" The red head huffed as the boy fled. "AND DON'T COME BACK, EITHER!"_

_ Finally, she turned to the small boy, grinning. She knelt in front of him and began brushing the sand out of his hair. "Are you alright?"_

_ "Y-yeah, but why did you do that?"_

_ She looked at him in disbelief before smiling sweetly, "You should never need a reason to want to help someone." Glancing around the red head noticed that there was no one else with the boy. "Where are your friends?"_

_ He dropped his gaze to the ground, "I don't have any."_

_ The girl was shocked. "No friends," she thought to herself, "How terribly lonely."_

_ She then nodded her head, as though making a decision, and grinned. "It's settled then! I'll be your friend!"_

_ It was the boys turn to look shocked. "Really?" he asked, daring to be hopeful._

_ The red head nodded, "Yup! My name's Charlotte Hightopp. What's yours?" she asked, extending her hand._

_ He stared at her hand and eventually took it in his own. "Dexter. Dexter Douglas." he replied, finally smiling._

_ Charlotte grinned wider, if possible, "Okay Dexter. From now on, we're going to be best friends!"_

.:IAMALINE:.

I laughed when I woke up that morning. _"It figures that I'd remember that now that I'm back in Washimgton."_

Subduing my amusement I ran a hand through my hair, sighing.

"I need to call Dexter."

Sorry if it's short. I'll start typing up the next chapter tomorrow. I kinda wanted Charlotte to have one of those moments when you think a character has figured something out and then you want to smack them because of how stupid their answer is. I think Freakazoid would be good with kids. I don't know, I just got that feeling. I figure that I'd show you a little bit of when they were kids. I'm experimenting with a few things in an attempt to make it easier to read. Tell mewhat you think. Reviews are lovely and they make me happy.


	11. A Relaxing Day At The Mall, Not

I'm baaaaack! And I'm very happy! I realized today that someone favorited This story! I was soooo happy! I'm going to stop acting like a dork now. Thank you to all the people who have been reading and reviewing! Note: Nathalorial I didn't even realize where I got the divider thing from until you pointed it out and after I read your story. -_-; Sorry for stealing it.

Disclaimer: ...Huh, oh. Sorry for spacing out, I was just thinking about how I don't own Freakazoid.

.:DIVIDER:.

That afternoon Dexter and I wandered around the mall. As we walk and shopped (Okay, so **I** was the only one shopping, but those black leather fingerless gloves were just calling my name) I told Dexter about my dreams, the one about how we met and of the shadowy figure who I believed to be my father.

"I've never heard that story. Are you sure that it was a memory of your father?" he asked.

I sighed, staring up at the ceiling, "I'm positive. It's just this feeling I have. I wonder why they only started resurfacing now?"

"Maybe it's because you're back in Washington." he suggested.

"Maybe." I said dazed, staring ahead of me blankly as I thought about it.

"You seem distracted. Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine. Just tired." Snapping out of my daze I turned back to Dexter, "By the way, you're friends with Freakazoid, right?" His eyes went wide and his mouth fell open. It was almost comical. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I was just surprised is all."

He laughed nervously, "It's not exactly something that comes up in a normal conversation."

I waved off his comment, giving him a small smile, "S'okay. I understand why you wouldn't bring it up." I reached out and took his hand in mine, an unusual thing for me to do. "I just want to let you know, you can tell me anything."

I saw his eyes widen before he turned his head away from me almost guiltily. "Yeah, I know."

I tilted my head, worried, as he withdrew his hand from mine. Dexter then turned to look in front of us, silently.

I narrowed my eyes at the action. _"What was __**that **__about?"_

"Char?"

I blink as I realized that Dexter was calling my name. _"Must have spaced out. I've been doing that a lot lately, I wonder if it's normal."_

"You've been distracted a lot lately. Are you sure you're okay?" His concern dripped from his sentence.

"Yeah, I'm sure." I responded automatically.

Suddenly, something I saw in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I froze and my eyes went wide when I saw it, a big stupid grin spreading our my face. Dexter noticed I stopped and backtracked to where I was. He sighed as he read the big bold red letters above the store.

"Hot Topic, Charlotte?"

I nodded excitedly, "YES! Only awesome people shop at Hot Topic!"

"Like you?" he asked with an amused look.

"Exactly, just like me. That's why Will doesn't shop here, 'cause he's boring and not awesome like me."

"You mean because he acts like he's British?"

"Precisely! Anyway, wait out here for me. I won't take long, I promise." Without waiting for a response I ran into the dark store.

After picking out red, neon green, and black nail polish, along with several other things, I walked to the counter to pay. It was after I bought my items that I heard voices coming outside the store.

"Dexter?" I heard a female voice ask, sounding surprised.

"Oh, hi Steff, Jill, Valerie." he responded nervously.

_"Odd. I didn't think Dexter had any other female friends."_ I decided to remain hidden in the store and listen in on the conversation.

"What are you doing here, rodent? Shouldn't you be holed up in your room on your stupid computer? " came a snobbish female voice.

_"Okay, maybe they're not friends."_

"I'm hanging out with my friend. She just went into the store for a minute."

"HA! As if you could get a date with any girl!" the same snobbish female exclaimed.

I felt my right eye twitch, a reflex that only happened when I was angry. _"She's really starting to piss me off."_

"Hey, it's the truth!" he yelled indignantly.

"Ya really shouldn't lie."said another female with an accent that I couldn't place.

"It's true! She just moved back to Washington!"

"Then where is she?" the snobbish girl demanded.

_"I think it's time I made my appearance."_ I exited the store, smiling, black Hot Topic bag on my arm. "Sorry I took so long. You would not believe how long the line was."

He smiled at me, "No problem."

I saw the girl's Dexter had been talking to. A blond whose hair was tied in a pony tail and blue eyes, a girl with tanned skin, short brown hair and brown eyes, and a girl with long black hair and brown eyes. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing at their shocked expressions.

"So Dexter, who are your friends?" I asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

He pointed at the blond, "This is Steff," then at the brunette, "This is Jill," and finally the raven haired girl, "And this is Valerie."

I smile sweetly at the girls, "It's a pleasure to meet you! My name is Charlotte Hightopp." Of course I was lying through my teeth. I didn't know these girls and to be perfectly honest, I didn't want to. They had already pissed me off by saying those things to Dexter. It was obvious that they were all shallow. _"I'll play nice for now, but if they push me I'll tell them exactly what I think of them."_

The girls weakly return my greeting, still in shock. "Will you be joining us in our shopping?"

"Um, sure." Steff answered quietly. We started walking again, the three girls following now. "So, Charlotte, how do you know Dexter?" She asked.

"We were friends back in kinder garden. Due to some issues I had to move, but we kept in touch through email and letters. I'm back to stay now though."

"Just how long have ya been back?" Jill questioned.

"Four days now."

"Weren't you that girl who was involved in that Cobra Queen incident at Midnight Cafe?" the snob asked.

I nodded, "Yup, that was me."

"So you met Freakazoid?"

I laughed at Steff's mention of the blue skinned man. "Oh, I've met him. He's quite the character." I turned to look at the blond to gauge her reaction to my next sentence. "He's also _**very handsome**_."

"Hey! He's my boyfriend!"

I resisted the urge to smirk as my suspicions were confirmed. The look in her eyes, the tone of her voice. Freakazoid wasn't her boyfriend, he was her trophy. That much was obvious. _"Looks like little miss goody-goody two shoes is really two faced bitch. I thought as much."_

I smiled, "I meant no harm. I'm sorry if I offended you." Inside I was thinking the opposite. _"Of course I can be a two faced bitch, too. The only difference is that I'm better at it."_

Steff smiled too, accepting my apology. _"Stupid girl."_

And then the girls stopped in front of a store. The store would be most girls' dream, but it was my nightmare. It was a dress store.

I **HATE** dresses.

"C'mon, Charlotte. Let's go in."

I almost screamed when Steff dragged me into the store with the other two girls. My eyes wide with horror I shot Dexter a silent "Save me!" The only thing he did was laugh.

_"Curse you, you bastard! I'll remember this! I swear it!"_

.:DIVIDER:.

_"Someone shoot me." _Why three girls I had only just met were trying to get me to try on dress,I would never know. _"I am __**NOT **__a living Barbie doll!"_

"Having fun?" Dexter had the nerve to ask.

I sent him a glare that, had it been directed at anyone else, would have made them cower in fear. However, since Dexter knew that I would never intentionally hurt him, he only smiled. "Shut. Up." I hissed quietly so the others wouldn't hear. He knew how much I had come to loathe dresses.

"If I bought you a soda would you cheer up?"

"...Maybe..."

He chuckled when I pouted, "I'll be back, then."

"Finally, I thought he'd never leave!" Valerie said snidely once Dexter was out of sight.

I felt my eye twitch again. _"This bitch is asking for it."_

"So, did he bribe you or something?"

"What do you mean?" I asked carefully, trying not to look or sound as furious as I felt.

"I mean, why do you hang out with that loser?"

"He doesn't talk to anyone and spends all his time on his computer. It's creepy." Jill added.

"You know, you don't have to be his friend because you feel bad for him." Steff spoke up, angering me further.

I dropped my gaze to the floor, shoulders shaking in my rage, my eyes burning.

I knew that Dexter said that he didn't have any friends, but he never mentioned this. People looked down on him, bullied him, all because they didn't understand or know him. It wasn't fair. Dexter was a good guy. Sure, he was shy and awkward when you first met him, but he was kind and fun to be around.

I took a deep shuddering breath to keep me from doing anything illegal. I wouldn't regret it later, but I didn't think that Will would want to bail me out of jail. Again. "I didn't think it possible for people to be so ignorant and cruel, but I guess I was sadly mistaken." I spoke in an eerily calm voice, not yet looking up at the sources of my anger.

"What?"

"Did it ever occur to you that I actually _**like**_ being friends with Dexter? That maybe I'm not as shallow and judgmental as you three?"

"Who are you calling shallow and judgmental?" she sneered, enraged.

I snapped my head up at them, angrier than I had ever remembered being in my whole life. They gasped in shock, no doubt horrified by my now crimson eyes. "You three disgust me."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Valerie exclaimed.

"**NO! I'm not done yet!**" I growled shocking them to silence. "Right from the moment I saw you three I knew exactly what type of people you were." I directed my anger towards Jill, "Jill, right away I could tell, you may act tough, but it seems you feel the need to trample others to feel accomplished. It's quite sad. Your type: a posing punk." Her mouth fell open after I made my comment.

"Valerie, you're a conceited self-centered bitch who only dates guy for looks and status. Just because you're attractive it makes you think you're better than everyone else, so you think you can step on others like insects. It's pathetic, really. Your type: a narcissistic whore." Valerie's face turned red in anger.

Then I turned my sickened gaze to Steff. "Out of the three of you, you are by far the most disgusting, though. At first glance you appear to be the nicest one in this group. Modest, kind, polite, but I know better. I can see right through your act. You're the kind of person that pretends to be someone's friend, but really just wants to twist a knife in their back." I smirked, noting Steff's stunned expression. "Now, I know what you're thinking. How did I figure it out, right? That little comment I made about Freakazoid earlier was a sort of test. I wanted to see if I was right in my assumption that his girlfriend was using him, and I was. It's sad that he's too naïve to see it. He doesn't deserve to be tricked and used like that. Your type is without a doubt, a two-faced back-stabbing bitch."

"Now hold on! Just who do you think you are?" Valerie shouted.

I sneered at her, "I told you already, my name is Charlotte Hightopp. You've never dealt with someone like me, so let me warn you now. I speak my mind and I am not afraid to throw a few punches. Piss me off and I swear I will make your life a living hell. Do yourselves a favor and leave Dexter and I alone, you filthy parasites."

I bumped into Dexter as I stormed out of the store. Grabbing his wrist I continued stomping away from the store.

"Charlotte, what's wrong?" Dexter asked, desperately trying to keep up with my pace.

"Nothing. We're leaving." I told him, not stopping or turning to give him so much as a glance.

"If they said something about me you really shouldn't worry about it."

I stopped dead in my tracks.

"I'm used to it by now. It's no big deal, so put it out of your mind."

I felt my eyes changing color rapidly all of a sudden as mixed emotions raged within me. _**"Mind?" **_I heard a voice ask from inside my head ask. _**"What mind? You've already lost your mind!" **_My thoughts became hazy and I could barely register the fact that I had dropped Dexter's wrist, my hands then flying to my head, clutching it. The voice laughed, _**"You're mad! Mad as a Hatter!" **_My eyes clenched shut as the voice began to multiply and sing, growing to a deafening volume, _**"Madwoman! Madwoman! Madwoman! Madwoman! Madwoman! Madwoman! Madwoman!"**_

___"Make it stop!"_I panicked. What was wrong with me?

"Charlotte?"

And just like that, at the sound of his voice, my eyes went back to green, the voices were silenced, and the fog that had consumed my mind had lifted. I took a deep breath before facing my friend.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I said, almost reflexively.

"Are you really?"

_"I don't know anymore." _"I'm fine, really." I lied, forcing a smile.

He gave me a look that clearly said he wasn't buying it. "Hey, would you look at the time! I have to go get ready for work, Dexter. See you tomorrow!" I fled before Dexter could ask anything else.

.:DIVIDER:.

I sighed as I put my uniform on. _"What's happening to me?" _I thought in a rare moment of depression. _"What happened today was so strange."_ I stood in front of my full length mirror, hand resting on my reflection's. _"What kind of beast am I becoming?" _

When I finished dressing I pulled my hair back into a pony tail, then examined my appearance. My uniform was made up of a black long sleeved button up shirt with black crescent moons on the crimson cuffs and collar. Black dress pants and black shoes were also part of the uniform.

_"Maybe work will take my...mind...off of whatever's happening to me." _I thought hopefully.

"Sister, are you ready yet?" my brother asked through my bedroom door.

"Yes, William. Don't forget that you're working tomorrow." I answered as I stepped out of my room.

"I won't. Be careful, okay?"

I smiled at his concern. "Always."

That said, I left for work.

.:DIVIDER:.

I will stop here for now. Thank you to everyone who has been reading this story and a special thanks to Nathalorial and Special Sam for your support so far. Okay, so you all know how Charlotte is supposed to sing in an upcoming chapter. Well, I have no idea what she should sing. Obviously, it should fit her personality, but I'm drawing here. That's where you, the reviewers, come in. Please make song suggestions and I will choose on or two. Your help is appreciated, as I am at a loss.


	12. Enter Madness

Hey, I'm back again. Sorry, things have been crazy for me, but I'm updating now! I'm really surprised at how many Freakazoid stories have been added. It makes me really happy to read them, though. To any Freakazoid writers who may be reading this, keep up the awesome work!

Wow, I'm surprised by all the songs people listed. And they all fit so well, it's going to be difficult to pick just one. Though I'll probably use the others somewhere else in the fanfic.

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own anything.

** .:FLYINGMINTBUNNY:.**

"Business is awfully slow tonight, isn't it?" I asked Uncle Liam, bored to tears.

He laughed, "It often is. That's why we want you to sing, to draw in more customers."

"Right." I sighed, gazing out into the darkened streets. _"I wish we had a customer right now."_

My wish came true. At that moment the bell above the cafe door rang signaling the arrival of a customer. Well, customers. I looked up at them and to my surprise, I was met with the sight of blue skin. Freakazoid had just entered along with an old cop, who I recognized from the Cobra Queen incident, and a man wearing a kilt. Uncle Liam went over to get them a seat and give them menues.

_"How odd." _I thought, staring blankly at the strange trio. _"It seems that whenever I'mnot with Dexter, I run into Freakazoid."_

I was left to think about this for awhile until Uncle Liam came over to me and gave me a notepad and pen. "Could you go take their orders?" I nodded mutely, taking the items handed to me, and walked to the table.

"I'm sorry Freakazoid, but I've never heard of superheroes called Mad Hatter or Darkness." I heard the cop say. I froze in my tracks and decided to eavesdrop.

Freakazoid sighed, resting his head in his hand, "It's weird that they showed up out of nowhere though."

"Ya should be grateful fer the help, lad. Maybe you could talk to this Darkness character and ask her to help ya out a little." the man in the kilt suggested.

"Oh, but you know that girl you were talking about, Charlotte Hightopp? I mentioned the name to another cop, a friend of mine and he told me some things that made me concerned." the cop spoke up.

"What do you mean Cosgrove?"

In response the cop, Cosgrove, pulled out a thick manilla folder and plopped it on the table.I swallowed nervously when I saw it. _"I hope that's not what I think it is."_Freakazoid opened the folder and with a shocked expression, pulled out my old mug shot.

In the picture, my hair was much shorter, like the length a boy's hair would be. A murderous glare was in my eyes and a nasty sneer on my face. Sitting in the corner of my mouth was a cigar. The police had tried to get it away from me, but eventually they gave up. _"Not one of my finest moments.." _I thought guiltily.

"Cosgrove, what is this?" Freakazoid asked in what I could only interpret as horror.

"That's her record. Charlotte Hightopp was second in command of an all girl gang appropriately named the Jade Dragons. She's been arrested many times." Cosgrove explained.

"For what, exactly?"

"Assault of an officer, street brawls, resisting arrest, and the use of just bout every illegal substance there is. Even the cigar in her mouth."

"I didn't think cigars were illegal."

"It's Cuban, and she's under the smoking age."

"Oh. Yeah, that's illegal."

"In her gang days she was often called a mad woman. They also said that she had a nasty temper and snapped when someone hurt anyone in her gang. She treated them like family."

"So, she's really dangerous?" he asked worriedly, shifting through the papers.

"Beyond dangerous. But then she suddenly went straight and convinced the others to do the same. The Jade Dragons have been broken up ever since." the cop went on.

"And they all went along with that willingly?" the Scotsman asked skeptically.

"All but one. The leader, Victoria, or Vicky, as the group called her."

My heart clenched at the name. One of my hands reached up to grip my shirt, the place directly over my heart. _"Vicky..."_

"Victoria was angry that the entire gang wanted out. They tried reasoning with her, but it didn't work. In the end they all had to take her down and hand her over to the police."

"Hey, what's this one about?" Freakazoid asked, holding up a newspaper clipping.

"That was considered to be her community service. She helped the police stop a drug exchange between two gangs and helped arrest the members."

"I remember that." I commented, deciding to make my presence known.

Freakazoid jumped at the sound of my voice and began scrambling to put the papers back in the folder. He cover the closed folder with his arms, making him resemble a child guilty of cheating on a test. "Um, I can explain!" he said frantically.

I raised an eyebrow and smiled in amusement, crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm sure you can."

He stuttered for a few minutes, trying to figure out what to say. "You're worried about Dexter I take it?" I guessed. He smiled sheepishly and nodded. I sighed, "Listen, I'm going to tell you what I told Dexter. I've changed and I'm putting that all behind me."

"I'm sorry. It's not that I don't trust you-"

I cut him off, "Don't even start. It's nice to see someone showing some concern for Dexter. Just don't go spreading that stuff around, I'd like to get a fresh start."

He nodded and relaxed, grinning his usual idiotic grin.

"Now," I began, readying my notepad and pen with a smile, "Are you gentlemen ready to order?"

**.:IMTHEHERO:.**

By the end of the night I had gotten to know the old police officer, Sgt. Mike Cosgrove, and the Scotsman, Roddy Macstew, well.

Upon returning home William informed me that there had been no criminal activity that night.

I fell into a fitful sleep that night.

**.:PASTAAAA:.**

_Falling. I was falling down a hole, clumsily dodging objects that seemed to be floating in midair._

_ Just before I hit the bottom, it all went black. The scene around me changed. Instead of falling I was on my feet again. No longer was I in the dark hole, but in a sunny field._

_ The field was beautiful. It had lush green grass, tall and green leafy trees, and gorgeous colorful flowers. The sky was a clear vibrant blue, a few lazy clouds floating by._

_ Suddenly, the field was set ablaze. The fire consumed everything in it's path and the smoke clouded the sky, turning it gray._

_ The fire cleared, revealing the devastated field. The once blue sky was now an ugly black, the sun's rays unable to reach the earth. The grass had been turned to ash, making it dusty and gray. The flowers and trees had all been burnt to a crisp._

_ What horrified me most though, was the large amount of red liquid splattered on the ground and the smell of death lingering in the air._

_ At the far end of the field I spotted a woman clothed in a red and black dress. She had a bulbous head and curly crimson hair. A golden crown with red gem stones sat atop her head._

_ Out of nowhere, a giant dragon like creature rose up behind her, looking like it was medically stitched together. An army of red and black card like soldiers also stood behind the woman._

_ A man with short black hair and cruel, cold onyx eyes stood next to the woman, wearing black armor._

_ "You can't stop us." she said, smiling smugly._

_ "You've already lost, little girl." the man taunted maliciously._

_ The dragon creature let out a mighty roar , shaking the ground. It opened it's jaws wide and unleashed a blast of purple lightening, destroying everything that was left. I screeched in surprise, the creature's attack barely missing me._

_ When the blast ended, the woman, the man, the army, the creature, everything was gone._

_ However, the horror didn't end there. In the pitch black darkness, several bodies fell from above and landed at my feet._

_ I was sweating and about ready to hyperventilate as I gazed at the familiar bodies. The bloody and battered forms of William, my mother, Uncle Tenpou, Uncle Takashi, Uncle Liam, Dexter, and Freakazoid laid before me, looks of pure terror carved on their lifeless faces._

_ "You couldn't save them! You couldn't save them!" a female voice sang._

_ Tears streamed down my face, rage and sorrow racking my body. "COME OUT NOW!" I yelled, furious._

_ "You want me to come out? Okay!" the singing voice said._

_ The form that stepped out of the shadows made my eyes go wide, my body froze up, and my blood felt like ice in my veins._

_ It was me as Darkness, a grin on her face. She laughed at my shocked and horrified expression._

_"Who or what are you?" I asked, trembling._

_ "I'm Darkness. I'm Madness. I'm Lottie. Who am I, you ask? I'm you." she stated._

_ "I-I don't understand." I stuttered._

_ She sighed and began walking towards me. "How can I put this in terms that you can understand? I'm the madness that lives within your mind. I was here since the day you were born, remaining dormant until now."_

_ I took steps back as she continued forward. "Why did you show me these things and attack me in the mall? Why are you doing this?"_

_ She grinned madly, never pausing in her advance, "I'm here to remind you of what you forgot."_

_ "What I forgot?"_

_ She laughed, "Are you really that dense? You forgot who and what you are. You forgot your birthplace, you forgot your family, you forgot your father, and most importantly, you forgot your destiny." She trapped me into a corner._

_ "What if I don't want to remember?"_

_ She frowned, "You must. Many lives depend on it."_

_ "Why?" I asked, confused._

_ She shook her head sadly, "Down with bloody big head and the death king."_

**.:BELIEVEIT:.**

I shot up in my bed Friday morning, panting, sweating, and to my surprise, crying.

There was a timid knock at my bedroom door. "Sister?" came Williams soft voice through the door. "I heard you from my room. Can I come in?"

I wiped the tears from my eyes quickly before muttering, "Come in."

He walked in, still clad in his green pajamas, concern written all over his face. He came over to the bed and sat beside me. "Sister, are you okay? I heard you scream."

I stared down at my hands, thinking. "Do you remember our birthplace?"

He became surprised, "No. I had trouble remembering things as a child, remember?"

I looked up t him hopelessly, "No, I don't. That's the problem."

William put his hands on my shoulders, "Charlotte, what happened?"

I told my brother about my dream. He was shocked and scared by the things I had described. He became more worried when I told him about the incident at the mall.

"You should go talk to Uncle Tenpou. He may know what's going on." he offered. I nodded silently. "Do you want me to take over patrol tonight?" he asked as I got out of bed.

"No, I'll be fine."

He sighed at my stubbornness, "Alright, sister. Be careful."

I managed to give him a small smile, despite still being so shaken up, "Always."

**.:IGOTABOWELGOODFORME:.**

Sorry the chapter short, but I'm exhausted. I think I tormented Charlotte too much. Not a very happy dream, huh? Well, read and-

**"WE INTERRUPT THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE TO BRING YOU SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL."**

** .:SNOOPYSNOOP:.**

A close up image of an onyx black eye appears on the computer screen, examining the camera that was recording it.

"HELLOOOO PEOPLE OF THE INTERNET! CAN YOU SEE ME?" Freakazoid asked in an obnoxious and loud voice.

Suddenly, he was knock away from the camera. An annoyed Charlotte came into view. Her leg was raised from kicking Freakazoid. "Stop fooling around, dumbass. We're doing this for a reason and it's not for your amusement."

William walked into the shot too, shaking his head at his sister's actions, clearly disapproving. "Sister, that wasn't very nice. Or lady like."

"Screw both of those! His annoying voice is giving me a headache."

"Nut bunnies! That hurt, Charlotte!" Freakazoid exclaimed, getting to his feet.

"It was supposed to, stupid!" the redhead snapped.

"If you two are really going to have a lover's spat, could you not do it in front of me?" William smirked at the blushing faces of his sister and the freak.

"What the hell are you talking about? I'll kill you!" she sputtered, lunging for her brother.

"Don't say that!" Freakazoid added before joining the fight.

"HEY!" They all froze as Cosgrove and Roddy walked up to them. "Cut that out."

They instantly separated, backs facing each other, pouting childishly. "You started it." they muttered in unison.

"The lass is right, ye know. We're here for an important reason." Roddy reasoned.

"Right!" Freakazoid shouted, excited. Everyone stared at him incredulously. He then turned to them with a sheepish smile, "Why are we here again?" The others sighed in exasperation, uttering single, annoyed, "Freakazoid..."

It was then that Tenpou, Takashi, and Liam joined the group, rolling a large silver cart. On the cart was an object covered by a sheet. Freakazoid took one look at it and a grin spread across his face. "OH! I remember now!"

"Good, now hurry up and get over here so we can do this." Charlotte ordered. Freakazoid complied quickly.

"Alright then. Now we, the cast of "Freaky Mad Darkness", have a very important message to deliver." the redhead explained.

Tenpou tore the sheet off the object to reveal a very large and tall cake. The icing on it read, **"HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHALORIAL!"**

Streamers and confetti fell as the characters grinned, saying, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

**.:ELLOIFOUNDBALLOON:.**

** "WE NOW RETURN YOU TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED AUTHOR'S ****NOTE."**

...I bet you thought I forgot, huh Nathalorial? But I didn't! So Happy Birthday! I hope you have a good birthday and like this chapter. Side note: try guessing where the quotes in the dividers are from. Read and review please, I'm still taking song suggestions.


	13. Charlotte's Issues

Hey people, I'm back! I'm sorry it's been so long. I've gotten new reviewers and someone else added my story to their alerts, so I'm very happy. Now, the dividers from last chapter are mostly all from anime except for Freakazoid's "I got a bowl, good for me!" and Ruby's "Snoopy snoop" and "Ello, I found a balloon." Ruby is from Nathalorial's **A Freakalicious Time**. If you haven't read it yet, then shame on you because it's awesome. Now for the other divider's: Flying mint bunny-England-Hetalia, I'm the hero-America-Hetalia, Pastaaaa-Italy-Hetalia, Believe it-Naruto-Naruto. I put the line first, then the character that said it, then the anime. So, I know most of you are going to look at some of the characters names and ask, "Why the hell is the character's name a country?" Well, Hetalia is an anime of all of the country's of the world being people. The characters are basically stereotypes of their countries. Example: A stereotype about Americans is that we're stupid, the character America is _very _stupid. It's a humorous anime. Anyway, just thought that I'd clear that up. Now then, going back to the story.

**Warning: From here on out, Charlotte may or may not start dropping F-bombs and other bad words.**

Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Freakazoid. If I did, I obviously wouldn't be sitting here writing a fanfiction, and I'd be rich. _sigh_

**.:We're all mad here:.**

Upon arriving at the Crimson Moon Cafe I wasted no time in running up to my uncle's study. I flung open Uncle Tenpou's door, mouth open, ready to announce my arrival,

"**ACK!**"

...Until a thick book came flying from the room and hit me square in the face.

"What the fu-!" I caught myself in the middle of my curse. Hands clutching my nose in pain, I fell back onto the floor from the force.

"Oh, Charlotte! Are you alright?" I sat up in time to see Uncle Tenpou rushing towards me, a worried expression on his face. I glared up at him, thoroughly pissed.

"Nice. Is this how you greet all your family members, or am I just freakin' special?" I asked, voice nasally due to flying books. I let go of my nose and glanced down at it. It was crooked. With a sickening _snap_ that caused even Tenpou to wince, I set it straight.

"How many times have you ever had to do that?" he asked frowning.

I shrugged and stood, "Enough."

Tenpou stood as well and led me into his study. I sat at his desk while he began looking through the bookshelves. Noticing Uncle Liam and Uncle Takashi in one of the corners, a safe distance from Uncle Tenpou, I waved.

"Now, as much as I'd like to believe that this is just a pleasant visit, I know better than that. What troubles you?" Uncle Tenpou asked.

I explained, in detail, the dream from the previous night.

"Well, does it mean anything?" I asked, my anxiety seeping into my voice.

Uncle Tenpou sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "It could mean a number of things."

"_**Like...?**_" I pressed.

He hummed in thought, "Well..."

I was at the edge of my seat, why wouldn't he just tell me and stop leaving me hanging? "Well, what? Spit it out all ready!"

"Well, it could just be that you've finally lost your mind." the jerk replied, having the gall to smile.

I ignored the nagging voice in the back of mind as my right eye began to twitch. Picking up the nearest book I chucked it at his head. "Screw you! I'm confiding in you and your making friggin' fun of me!"

The book bounced off his head, but the only response I got was a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry. You're absolutely right."

I huffed, albeit childish, and crossed my arms over my chest. Still, Tenpou continued to scan the bookshelves, mumbling to himself and occasionally throwing a book behind him. I raised an eyebrow, "What the hell are you looking for anyway?"

"A few years ago, before your mother disappeared, she gave me a book and told me to give it to me the time was right. I can't believe I only remembered it last night."

"He's been running himself ragged since this morning trying to find it." Uncle Takashi explained.

"Ah."

"As for your dreams, your powers could be starting to awaken and it's messing up both body and mind. I mean, when we were your age we developed powers of our own too. Though, not as much or many as the girls."

"You have powers? And what girls are you talking about?"

"Your Aunt Olive and Aunt Kanan. You wouldn't remember them due to your accident. Kanan was youngest and Olive was born only a few minutes before Liam. But, the girls all developed strange powers too. They disappeared the first time your mom did. But for some reason, they didn't come back when she did." Tenpou let out a chuckle, "Your mother actually used to accidentally set a few things on fire."

"Really?"

He nodded, never once looking away from his collection of books. "Yeah. As for our powers..." He turned to me after trailing off. He held out his hand, shutting his eyes in concentration. I gasped in shock as a ball of green light the size of his palm floated above his skin.

"Well I'll be damned..."

The ball disappeared and Tenpou went back to his previous task. "That energy you saw in my hand can be used to hurt or heal. As far as we know, we could all do it."

I was silent for a while, digesting the information. I sighed in aggravation, resting my head in my hands. _"There's too much happening to me lately. I wish things would start making sense..."_ I thought.

"So," I began, "I take it that this isn't the first time mom's pulled a Houdini?"

"No, when we were younger she'd vanish often without telling where she'd gone. If I recall correctly, she'd also tell us the most insane stories as well."

"Stories? What kinds of stories?"

"Stories about rabbits in waist coats, grinning cats, talking animals, the craziest, most ridiculous things. Oh, and she dreamed of marrying a mad man." Tenpou replied chuckling.

"It wasn't a mad man, it was a Mad Hatter." Uncle Liam corrected.

I tilted my head to the side, _"Odd. Mad Hatter makes me think of William."_ "Didn't they call them Mad Hatters because of the mercury poisoning involved with making the hats?"

Takashi nodded, "Yes, there was a high concentration of mercury in the glue they used. It would dye their hands and cause them to go mad. Hence the term, "Mad as a Hatter"."

I wrinkled my nose at the thought, "Why in hell would she want to marry a Mad Hatter?"

Takashi sighed, "For this I have no answer."

"Jade was definitely a strange one." Liam added.

"You know," Uncle Tenpou began, a thoughtful expression crossing his face, "Jade used to have dreams of the future, too."

"Oh, right! Like when she..." Uncle Takashi's look of joy faded into anexpression of sorrow, "When she predicted the disappearance of our family."

There was a moment of silence. I could tell that the three were looking back at their childhood and on the day that their family had been broken, too. I could tell that that was when they all became close, as William and I had become when mom vanished.

Suddenly, Uncle Tenpou chuckled, though it held a bitter tone. "She always was the strongest out of all of us. We always knew that much. Especially after what happened to her."

_"What happened to her? I don't remember this story."_

"What do you mean, what happened to her?" I found myself asking.

There was a brief silence, alerting me to the fact that this was not going to be a pretty story.

"Have you ever wondered about the scars your mother had?" Uncle Tenpou finally asked.

I thought for a moment and nodded. "Yeah. I asked her about them once, but she said that she'd tell me when I was older. I never found out."

He nodded, appearing to be deep in thought. "When...when mother and father disappeared, Takashi wasn't old enough at the time to take us in, so we ended up at an orphanage. One day, a man came in to adopt Jade. He seemed nice and for awhile Jade seemed happy, but..." he paused, no doubt remembering something painful, "but we couldn't have been more wrong."

"...What happened?"

He sighed, eyes distant. "Unbeknownst to us, he had...he had..." He was unable to finish the sentence. His pain filled expression showed just how much he had been effected by the event.

Uncle Takashi sighed, his eyes filled with anger, "That..._b__astard_...had raped her, many, many times. Each time taking a lighter or a blade to her skin. He even attacked wounds that were already scarred and wounds that hadn't finished healing yet. He was a sick, twisted man."

Uncle Liam stared at the ceiling, expression bitter. "Any lesser person probably would have killed themselves, but not Jade. She was determined to not let what happened weaken her. If anything, it only made her a stronger, wiser person. Of course, as a result of what happened, her self esteem was understandably low."

Needless to say, I was shocked. I would have never guessed that all of that had happened to mom. She hid it so well. Not the scars, of course, but the pain. When I finally found my voice again, I asked, "What happened to that guy?"

My uncles look at each other, as though having a private conversation.

"Before we handed him over to the police, we..._educated_ him on how you _shouldn't_ treat a child." Uncle Takashi explained, a dark look in his eyes.

That was all I needed to know. In our family, if you hurt someone precious to us, the consequences were severe.

"She often talked about the things your father did for her. Whoever he was, it was obvious that he loved Jade very much."

I snorted at Uncle Liam's comment. "If he loved her so goddamn much, where was he before she disappeared? I hope I never meet that bastard."

"Don't pass judgment so quickly, Charlotte. You could be wrong." Uncle Tenpou scolded.

"Whatever." I scoffed. "So, as I was asking before we got off topic, what do you think is up with my dreams?"

"Charlotte, if I had to name a cause, I'd say it's probably just stress. You just moved back to Washington, you were attacked on your first day back, you've been patrolling with your brother every night, you are still mourning over the loss of a friend. Added up with everything else, it makes sense. I recommend that you take it easy and get plenty of sleep tonight."

I stared at my uncle's desk. I tried to convince myself that he was right, but it didn't seem to fit to me.

Uncle Tenpou sighed, finally stepping away from the shelves. "I can't find it right now. I'll have it to you before show time tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." I replied, sighing. That dream was still bugging me.

He put a hand on my shoulder, sending me a reassuring smile, "Don't worry. It'll be okay."

"I guess." I stood from my seat, "I gotta go. See you tomorrow."

After saying our "good-byes" I went home.

** .:Memo to me, maim you after my meeting:.**

I sat in my bedroom, staring at the long sleeved, black coat I held in my hands. A large, green scaled wyvern dragon was imprinted on the back.

I sighed, folding the jacket before throwing it into my open closet. It landed next to my steel pole, which was propped up against the wall.

I picked up a picture frame that sat on my nightstand. I was in the photo, along with several other girls, all wearing the black coats and holding a steel staff. I had white wraps around my hands, just like the other girls.

I let out a bitter laugh, _"Looking back, all I can think is __**"What the hell were you thinking?"**__."_

I set the photo down on the nightstand and picked up the one that sat next to it. It was of Dexter and myself in kinder garden. I smiled fondly at the photo. _"I miss those days. Everything was simple and easy." _I heaved yet another sigh and set the photo down. _"Now everything is complex and difficult. I have no idea who the hell I am anymore. Or what I am for that matter."_

"Charlotte!"

My brother's voice broke me out of my thoughts. I snapped my head up to see him standing in the doorway, wearing his work uniform.

"You're not dressed yet?" he asked, his tone holding the confusion that was shown on his face.

"Sorry, I lost track of time." I explained, walking over to my closet.

"It's very unlike you to lose track of details, especially where time is concerned. Are you feeling well?"

Yeah, I'm fine."

I was, of course, lying. I felt lost, scared, confused, and alone. My mother is missing, I lost one of the few people who understood and accepted me, I'm hiding a secret life from my best friend, I'm fighting evil as a "superhero", hearing voices, and I'm apparently not human...What else could possible make my life any more crazy?

"Don't forget. You have a show tomorrow night at the cafe." my brother reminded me before he left the room.

I closed my eyes, a smile of irritation on my face, "Son of a bitch..."

_"I just __**had **__to ask."_

**.:Cut that out:.**

...Please don't kill me. I've been busy. Sorry if it's short. I started typing this chapter awhile back, but never finished it. Right now I've been doubting my self worth as a writer. I look back on everything I right and think that it's all crap, even though I've been told otherwise. Yeah, can you tell that my self esteem is in the toilet? I read what other people write and think, "Why can't I write like that?" or "Why can't I come up with a plot like that?" Needless to say, my self confidence sucks. Enough of me ranting. I'll try to get another chapter up before the weekend. Try to name the quotes in the dividers, read and review, etc. Again, I'm sorry, but I'm feeling a little down right now.


	14. Partners and Promises

Well, I'm back! I bet you all know that when you're a writer you're in control of the plot of your story. What I bet you don't know, is when you don't update for a long period of time, the characters in your story get mad at you. Then they hold you hostage until you update, fun stuff I tell you!

Charlotte: _We wouldn't have to do this if you weren't so lazy at times._

William: _Why do tomorrow what you can do today?_

...Is it possible to murder one's own creations? Regardless, I want to thank all of my awesome reviewers who helped me get my spirits up! Now, last times quotes: _We're all mad here_- Cheshire Cat, _Memo to me, maim you after my meeting_-Hades(From Hercules. No one knew that one...), _Cut that out_- Cosgrove(Shame on you if you didn't know that one!)

Disclaimer: I'm not doing it this time. You two can. William: _Why us?_

Because I own you.

Charlotte: _Entity does not own Freakazoid. Happy? _

Very much so.

**.:I'm not much of a problem solver. Three decades and I've only completed two sides:.**

_"What should I sing?" _I wondered helplessly as I sat crouched on the edge of a building, toying with my steel staff. I froze as a thought occurred to me. _"Didn't both Dexter __**and **__Freakazoid say they would come see me sing?" _I became nervous when I thought of them for some reason. Then confusion hit me. _"Why am I nervous about performing in front of them? I can understand being a little nervous about what Dexter thinks, but Freakazoid?" _I narrowed my eyes at the ground as I wracked my brain for an answer.

"HELLOOOO LADY!" an obnoxious voice yelled from behind me, causing me to let out a shout of surprise and lose my balance.

Luckily, the obnoxious idiot caught my hand and kept me from falling to my doom. I glared up at the offender only to see the familiar goofy grin of Freakazoid. I continued glaring as he pulled me up.

"You scared the **crap** out of me!" I shouted at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." he said with an apologetic smile.

"Uh-huh." was my reply. I was still pissed off about almost falling to my death.

"What are you doing up here anyway?" he asked, clearly trying to change the subject.

"Patrol. It's easier to keep an eye on things from up high."

"Do you like ice cream?"

I raised a questioning eyebrow at him, "Where the hell did that come from?"

He only shrugged, "Just wondering. So, do you?"

"Yeah."

"Wanna get some ice cream with me?"

I stared at him, thinking he was insane, and for all I knew, he probably was. "You are not all there."

"I'm not all where?" he asked in confusion, looking at his body. "Did I turn invisible?"

I knew I shouldn't have, but I couldn't help but laugh. His idiocy was just too funny!

"What? What did I miss?"

I looked at him with a grin on my face. "You are such a dork!"

Anybody who knew me well enough knew that when I call someone a dork, it's a term of endearment. Since I was Darkness and Freakazoid didn't know me that well, he pouted at me.

"Heeeey!" he whined childishly, causing me to chuckle.

"Tell you what," I began with a smirk, "Since you made me laugh, I suppose that I could take a break and get some ice cream with you." I knew I shouldn't encourage him, it would only make him bother me more in the future. _"And yet, I agreed anyway. How odd..."_

Freakazoid grinned and, in his excitement, lifted me into his arms before speeding off.

**.:OFF WITH HER HEAD:.**

Upon arriving at the empty ice cream parlor, "The Green Cow", I glanced up at Freakazoid.

"We're heeere!"

It was then that he decided to look down at me, noticing my unamused expression. He immediately set me down, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry."

I shook my head at him, unable to stay mad. "Let's get our food, you big goof."

So, there we were. Sitting on a park bench eating ice cream. Mine chocolate and his vanilla. We ate in a comfortable silence, something I didn't think Freakazoid was capable of.

"So," he began casually, "How about you become my sidekick?"

I let out a snort of amusement as I finished my ice cream. _"Me? __**His **__sidekick? Please!" _I turned to him, a coy smile tugging at my lips, "Now, why on earth would I want to be covered in your smelly boy sweat?"

"But what about that Hatter guy you were with?"

I rolled my eyes, "He's my brother. We're equals." I stood from the bench and stretched. "I'm not the slightest bit interested in playing second best to anyone. Least of all you, no offense."

"Partners?"

"Yeah, I don't believe in sidekicks. On a team, no one is more important than anyone else. Each person has skills that, on a mission, are vital." I explained.

"I...never thought of it that way before." he admitted.

I smiled, my playfulness getting the better of me, "Of course not. It's because you're a boy and boys are stuuupid!"

Freakazoid frowned, pouting half-heartedly, "Heeeeey! That's mean!"

"Don't whine. It's unbecoming for a superhero."

"I am not whining."

"Yes, you are."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yuh-huh!"

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"R-2 D-2? What does he have to do with this?"

I laughed, " Nothing you dork! You brought it up!"

"I didn't!"

"You totally did!"

"_**HEEELP!**_"

Both of us froze upon hearing the plea.

"That's my cue." I told him as I started to take off in the direction of the yell.

His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. "Wait. Let's go together."

"What?"

"Let's do this together. If things go well, maybe we could be partners." he proposed.

I hesitated, I didn't really get along well with others, with the exception of my brother. It wasn't that I didn't like people...okay that was part of it, but the main reason was I had a hard time trusting others. Growing up, trust was, and still is, a very big thing for me. I don't open myself up to very many people. Years of being in a gang did that to a girl.

Finally, I sighed, defeated, "Fine. Just don't get in my way."

He grinned with glee and, much to my embarrassment, picked me up again before he went charging off.

**.:Glasshole:.**

The cause of the disturbance was an old friend of mine. Standing near the broken window of the woman's department store, stuffing purses, shoes, and jewelery into a bag, was Cobra Queen.

I grinned in anticipation. After all, payback's a bitch.

"A snake woman stealing snake skin purses, I don't think I've ever heard anything more ironic." I commented, causing said snake woman to freeze.

She turned, glaring at us. "Ah, if it isn't Freakazoid. Who's your new sidekick?"

"Tch, I am **not** his sidekick, lady."

She looked puzzled for a moment, then spoke again. "So...You're his new girlfriend?"

Freakazoid and I both sputtered, cheeks turning red. We glanced at each other**, **then back at Cobra Queen.

"**We aren't dating!**"

I wonder why it was that when she asked butterflies fluttered in my stomach and my heart sped, if only for a short time.

"Then who are you exactly?"

Forgetting my previous embarrassment, I smirked, twirling my pole in one hand, "My name is Darkness. You best remember that."

"Oh, and why is that?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"Because I'm the one who's going to send your scaly ass to jail." The smugness in my voice was unmistakable and it only served to enrage Cobra Queen.

Freakazoid looked between the two of us. "Um, did I become invisible?"

"No, you just don't matter much right now." I replied.

Then, without warning, I charged at Cobra Queen.

"Now, come to me my pets!"

I stumbled as the ground began to tremble.

_"What the hell?"_

I fell backwards as two giant snakes burst out of the floor. I sighed as the hissed down at me.

"Son of a bitch."

The snakes lunged at Fraekazoid and I as Cobra Queen made her escape. They wrapped their tails around us and proceeded to squeeze the life out of us.

"D-damnit! She's getting away!"

"We have to get rid of the snakes first!"

I wriggled around, attempting to get at least one arm free. With great effort, I managed to do just that. Luckily for us, the arm I got free was also the one with my pole.

The snake's eyes widened in fear while I grinned in malicious glee, my violent intentions probably shining in my eyes.

I swiftly swung my blunt weapon across its face, effectively stunning it. I quickly pushed myself out of its grasp and ran towards Freakazoid, who looked like he was suffocating. (It was hard to tell because he was already blue.)

I struck the snake that was holding him from behind and, thankfully, it dropped him. The snake lowered its head to glare and hiss at me, allowing Freakazoid to catch his breath.

I rolled my eyes in response, "Oh, shut the hell up!" I swung my pole down on its head, making it whimper in pain. A hiss sounded from behind me, but when I turned to deal with it, I saw that Freakazoid had beat me to it. He punched it in the head, stunning it. He then dragged it over to the other snake and did the cliché thing of tying their tails together. The snakes shook their heads, getting their bearings again. They got closer to us again, hissing angrily in our faces.

"Didn't I tell you to shut the hell up?" I sneered, ready to swing my pole again to silence them.

I was beaten to the punch, though. Freakazoid stepped in and knocked their heads together, knocking them out.

I nodded in satisfaction, a smirk on my face, and turned to Freakazoid. "You're not bad, you know?"

"You did pretty good, too." he said, grinning. He then frowned, glancing at Cobra Queen's snakes. "Nut bunnies! Cobra Queen got away."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

We whipped around to see none other than my brother, in costume, with Cobra Queen tied in wire in the doorway, the bag of items she stole next to her.

"How...?" I could only stare in disbelief. I had thought that William had work tonight.

"Well, I had seen the reports earlier of a robbery near this area. At first I didn't think much of it. Later, I was walking around, minding my own business, when I spotted this woman skulking around with an oversized bag in her hands. When I confronted her about it I must have given her a fright because she dropped the bag, revealing all that she had stolen. After that, it was only a matter of apprehending her." he explained with a smirk.

I crossed my arms over my chest, pouting. Childish, yes, but I had wanted to beat the crap out of the reptile woman, badly.

"Don't pout, sister. It's very unbecoming."

"Shut up!"

"At any rate, the authorities will be arriving shortly. I suggest we take our leave."

"Wait a minute!" Freakazoid interrupted, reminding us of his presence. "Why don't you ever stay and take credit for what you guys did?"

"It's unnecessary." my brother replied.

"We don't need fame or acknowledgment for our deeds." I added.

"You should never need a reason to help people." we told him in unison.

He looked at me, then at Will, and back at me again. "Don't do that. That was not normal."

"And you are?"

"In case you haven't noticed by now, sir, my sister and I are anything but normal."

"And we wouldn't have it any other way. Later!" I gave a short wave before William and I headed for the exit. I paused in the doorway, turning to look back at the blue boy.

"I look forward to working with you again, partner." I couldn't help but smile when that goofy grin appeared on his face.

_"I guess he's starting to grow on me."_

**.:I'm going ghost:.**

_"Come on, Dexter!" a young Charlotte said._

_ She and Dexter were sitting in a colorful patch of flowers. Charlotte was making a crown of blue flowers, about to offer it to Dexter._

_ A crown of red flowers sat atop her head with a necklace of red flowers around her neck. More red flowers were around her wrists and ankles._

_ Dexter smiled as she placed the crown on his head. The girl sat back and giggled, bringing her hands together with a soft clap._

_ "You look great!"_

_ They sat in silence for awhile, staring at the sky._

_ "Do you think we'll always be together?" Dexter asked abruptly._

_ "Probably not." she replied, "We'll grow up and move apart. It happens to all adults."_

_ "Isn't there a way we can stay together?"_

_ Charlotte leaned back on her hands, lower lip sticking out as she thought. Then she grinned brightly._

_ "I have an idea!" she exclaimed. "Dexter, when we grow up, let's get married!"_

_ "Huh?"_

_ "If we get married we'll stay together forever and ever!"_

_ Dexter blinked a few times before he grinned too,"Yeah, let's do it!"_

_ She held out her pinky, "Promise?"_

_ He took her pinky with his, "Promise!"_

**.:All is brick:.**

Finally! It's done! My back is killing me!

Charlotte:_ Stop hunching over, then!_

I can't help it... Anyway, tell me what you think. Review and guess the quotes if you can. Some of the quotes are more obvious than others, but I do that on purpose. Good luck!


	15. I Don't Give a Damn

I'm baaaack! Okay, so I know it's been a long time, but my computer broke down on me and I lost ALL of my files, including my written ones... The thing that sucks the most is that I had just finished typing this chapter when it happened... God, my life sucks... Anyway, I went over my reviews for my last chapter and 22-ZeWeirdo-22 brought up a good point. This Freakazoid fanfic doesn't take place in the correct time period as the show did. The reason for that is I need it to take place during present time for things I'm planning to do in the future. I want to thank everyone for their song suggestions, not only did I get inspiration, I also got to hear some really cool music. Now, quotes from last chapter: **I'm not much of a problem solver. Three decades and I've only completed two sides-** Abe from Hellboy; **OFF WITH HER HEAD- **Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland; **Glasshole- **Hellboy from Hellboy II( he said it to Dr. Krauss after he beat him up in the locker room.) **I'm going ghost- **Danny from Danny Phantom; **All is brick-** Freakazoid from Freakazoid9After he hit himself in the head with a brick multiple times). All right, now on to the fic! Note: Nathalorial, there's an Easter egg in this chapter for you. See if you can find it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

**.:Sorry, no quotes this time. Can't think of any:.**

"Charlotte. Charlotte, wake up!"

My eyes snapped open and the first thing I saw was my brother's concerned face.

"Mmm, what is it?" I asked as I sat up groggily and rubbed my eyes.

"It's one in the afternoon. You usually never sleep in. Didn't you have to help set up at the cafe an hour and a half ago?"

I glanced at my alarm clock, only for the traitorous thing to confirm what William had said. "Shit!" I hopped out of bed, rushing around my room to get my things together. Clothes in my arms, I looked up to see that my brother was still in my room, amusement on his face. I scowled and dropped my clothes on my bed. Grabbing him by his shoulders I spun him around so he faced the open doorway. "OUT!" I shouted, shoving him out of the room, slamming the door in his face when he opened his mouth to speak.

"That was quite rude, sister!" came his muffled voice through the door.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just a rude bitch." I replied, getting dressed.

"...I didn't say that."

"Didn't have to."

"Sister, you know I don't think that way about you. You're not like that, regardless of what others say."

I didn't answer him. Self-esteem issues? Yeah I have them, but no one except William knows. I put on a strong face so no one knows. I secretly feel horrible for the whole gang thing and I feel like a terrible older sister, too. William tries to assure me that I'm not, but I'm not sure.

Finally ready, I grabbed my black messenger bag that had my stage clothes in it for later and exited my room.

"I assume you want me to bring your guitar before the show starts?" he asked.

"Yeah. You'll be there half an hour before the show starts, right?"

"Absolutely. Just remember to relax. You'll be fine."

"I will." I assured with a sigh.

"Be careful."

"Always!" I grinned, already out the door and on my way to the cafe.

**.:It's so frustrating typing this up again:.**

"So, we have snacks, soda, food..."

"Uncle Liam, don't snacks technically count as food?" I asked, bored.

He made a "tsk" sound and smiled at me as though I were naïve. "Main courses, Charlotte. Snacks aren't REAL food."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and didn't even bother to explain to him that teenagers didn't care about the difference between real food and junk food. I glanced at the small stage in the corner and felt my stomach flip.

_"I wonder how many people will show up." _I swallowed thickly to try and rid myself of my nervousness. _"What to sing? What to sing?"_

A tap on my shoulder broke me out of my thoughts. I turned to see that the culprit was Uncle Takashi.

"Are you going to wear something special for your performance?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah. Will's bringing me my guitar before the show too."

"So, what are you going to wear?"

I grinned up at him a bit smugly, "That's for me to know and you to find out."

Playfully, he pouted, making me laugh. "Fine. I see how it is. You won't tell your beloved uncle anything." he said in a woeful tone, arm thrown over his eyes dramatically.

"You're not fooling anyone, Uncle Takashi."

He peeked at me from under his arm before he snatched me up in a hug, a grin spread on his face. "You're so mean to me, Charlotte."

"Takkshi, you're the oldest out of all of us. Please act like it." Uncle Tenpou scolded as he walked down the stairs.

Uncle Takashi pouted again, releasing his hold on me. "Spoil sport." he muttered under his breath.

Uncle Tenpou shook his head, smiling fondly at his older brother. "You're so much like mom sometimes."

"And if it wasn't for your terrible cleaning habits, you'd be just like father." the older man stated with a chuckle.

"Hey..." I interrupted, both uncles turning to me as I spoke, "My grandmother and grandfather disappeared when you were kids, right? Do you know what happened to them?"

The two looked at each other, clearly caught off guard by my question.

"No. They disappeared without a trace one day, along with the rest of our family members, excluding the six of us that is." Uncle Takashi explained.

"Don't forget about Kenren, Misaki, Konzen, Mia, Mira, and Credo. They didn't disappear, they just got adopted and are now who knows where." Uncle Tenpou added.

I stared at them blankly, the new names not ringing any bells. "Who now?"

"Well, we considered them family, though they weren't related by blood because our parents were so close. Kenren and Misaki were the son and daughter of mom and dad's best friends. Konzen and Mia were the children of a woman who mom considered to be her own daughter and one of dad's friends. Mira and Credo were twins who were the children of a man and woman that mom and dad basically saw as their own. When we were young, all of us were always together, but we got split up when everyone disappeared." Uncle Takashi said.

"It's strange when you think about it." Uncle Liam joined in, exiting the kitchen with a sad expression on his face, "Everyone disappeared at once. Then, when we became adults, Jade, Olive, and Kanan suddenly disappeared, too. It's almost like...they're being taken."

Everything was silent until Uncle Tenpou let out a nervous chuckle. "That's crazy. Why would anyone want to do that?"

Uncle Liam chuckle with him, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "You're right. It's absurd."

I nodded, but somehow, I had a nagging feeling that Uncle Liam's theory wasn't as crazy as they thought it was. I shook this off, though. After all, why **would** anyone want with our family?

"Oh, speaking of family, I found the book Jade wanted me to give you." Uncle Tenpou took a small, thick hard cover black book from his pocket and handed it to me. I grabbed the object from him and examined it's cover. The title was written in big gold letters, "_**A Freakalicious Time**_".

I eyed the book warily before I shot Uncle Tenpou a blank stare. "What the hell kind of book are you giving me?"

"What, dare I ask, dear brother, is in that book that you're giving our beautiful young niece?" Uncle Takashi asked, giving a nervous Uncle Tenpou the evil eye.

"Yes, dear brother, just what _**is**_ in that book?" Uncle Liam asked, wearing the same look as his oldest brother.

Uncle Tenpou raised his hands in defense, "It's not that kind of book, I swear! It's about a girl named Onyx falling in love with a strange super hero."

"Really? Sounds interesting." I said, flipping through the pages. I stopped when I noticed that the table of contents and the introduction were carved out, not damaging the actual story of the book. In the center of the hollowed out pages was a folded piece of paper and a strange necklace. I picked up the silver chain and examined the small silver key attached to it. I became entranced by it. Somehow, it felt familiar and important to me.

"Don't forget the paper, Charlotte." Uncle Tenpou said, breaking me out of my trance.

Picking it up and unfolding it, I instantly recognized the neat black cursive handwriting that belonged to my mother.

_"Dear Charlotte," _I read out loud for everyone to hear, _"If you're reading this then it means that something has happened to me. I'm sure that by now you and William are experiencing things other children don't. Don't fear it, it's normal, and we went through the same thing. I'm sure you've figured it out by now, but our family isn't human. I've discovered what we are and the news is shocking. Unfortunately, I can't tell you now. I don't think you'd be able to handle it just yet, but I will tell you one day. I'm also sure that you're starting to wonder about your past, but don't worry about it just yet. Everything will come naturally and in time. Until then, keep this necklace close to your heart at all times, for it is the key to your future. Do me a favor and look after your brother, keep him safe. Remember Charlotte, I'll always love both you and your brother no matter what._

_ Love always,_

_ Jade Elizabeth Hightopp."_

I looked at the keys again, puzzled by my mother's cryptic and bizarre message. "Not human? Keys to my future? What the hell...does that mean?"

"I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that you should keep that key with you at all times. Jade sounded very serious when she said to keep them close to your heart." Uncle Tenpou said, appearing to be as disturbed and confused by the message as I felt.

I nodded, only half listening. _"I wonder what's in store for me."_

**.:I hate typing:.**

Half an hour before theshow, Will showed up with my guitar in it's case. I then grabbed my bag and went upstairs into the bathroom to change while he tuned my instrument for me.

I changed into a strapless black leather that exposed a bit of my stomach, blue flames at the bottom of it. My new pants were black leather, also with the blue flames on them. My sneakers were black and white and matched the rest of my outfit. A black choker with a silver skull and cross bones sat around my neck. As for stage makeup, I wore eyeliner, mascara, and blue lipstick. I pulled my hair into a pony tail before I looked over myself one last time. Satisfied with what I saw, I left the bathroom and headed down stairs.

I was surprised, to say the least, when I saw that the place had suddenly become crowded. Pushing my way through the crowd I made my way over to my brother. I grabbed the front of William's shirt and hissed, "When the hell did all of these people get here?"

"They arrived when you went upstairs to change. They came with three girls leading them. I believe their names were Jill, Steff, and Valerie. They were saying that you were going to embarrass yourself."

I released Will's shirt, causing him to stumble backwards as a result. If it weren't for my makeup, I would have done a face palm. _"Those BITCHES!"_

"Charlotte!" I heard Dexter yell as he made his way over to us.

I grabbed his shoulders and began shaking him frantically, "Look at all these people! What am I supposed to do?"

"Charlotte, stop shaking Dexter before he gets sick."

I let go, panting. Dexter swayed, a bit dizzy. Once he finally got his balance back he spoke to me.

"Charlotte, don't worry. You're a great singer, you'll do just fine." It was then that he got a good look at me. He blushed and smiled at me, "You look great by the way."

I couldn't help but grin at him. "Thank you." _**"Don't get too close. Don't get too attached. He'll just use you and break you."**_ I shook my head to rid myself of the voice of Madness. _"I don't need this right now!"_

"Sister, it's time." Will informed me with a smile as he handed me my black guitar with a small blue rose imprinted on it.

I slung the guitar over my shoulder, one hand on the neck to support it. "Wish me luck."

"You won't need it." Dexter assured me.

I walked up on stage, my heart in my throat. My heart started to beat rapidly in my chest as I saw all the people staring at me. I took a deep breath to calm myself before forcing a grin on my face. _"Here goes nothing!"_

"Hello customers of the Crimson Moon Cafe!" I began, attempting to sound excited, "My name is Charlotte Hightopp and I will be your entertainment for this evening. Tonight I will be singing and playing the guitar. Please enjoy."

The lights dimmed and I took a deep breath, preparing myself for my performance. A drum sounded in the back, signaling for me to begin playing my guitar. Once I started playing, the audience didn't matter as much any more.

_**"**__**I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation**_

_** You're living in the past it's a new generation**_

_** A girl can do what she wants to do and that's**_

_** What I'm gonna do**_

_** An' I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation"**_

__As I moved on to the chorus, the crowd began clapping along and cheering, boosting my confidence. A real grin broke out over my face as I looked down tauntingly at Steff, Jill, and Valerie, who all wore shocked expressions.

_**"An' I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation**_

_** Never said I wanted to improve my station**_

_** An' I'm only doin' good**_

_** When I'm havin' fun**_

_** An' I don't have to please no one**_

_** An' I don't give a damn**_

_** 'Bout my bad reputation"**_

__As the song progressed, more people were entering from outside, grins on their faces, cheering with the others. Steff, Jill, and Valerie glared up at me, obviously angry that everyone was having fun. Dexter and William both gave me a thumbs up from their spots in the crowd.

_**"I don't give a damn**_

_** 'Bout my bad reputation**_

_** I've never been afraid of any deviation**_

_** An' I don't really care**_

_** If ya think I'm strange**_

_** I ain't gonna change**_

_** An' I'm never gonna care**_

_** 'Bout my bad reputation**_

_** Oh no, not me**_

_** Oh no, not me**_

_** Pedal boys!"**_

__As I strummed my guitar, I noticed that Dexter was no where in sight, and neither was Freakazoid. _"Where could they be?"_ I brushed this thought off as I began singing again.

_**"An' I don't give a damn**_

_** 'Bout my bad reputation**_

_** The world's in trouble**_

_** There's no communication**_

_** An' everyone can say**_

_** What they want to say**_

_** It never gets better anyway**_

_** So why should I care**_

_** 'Bout a bad reputation anyway**_

_** Oh no, not me**_

_** Oh no, not me"**_

__At this point Jill and Valerie left, but Steff stayed where she was. The reason was that Freakazoid had finally showed up and was standing next to her, grinning and cheering. I could feel myself grin wider than I thought possible. Though Dexter was still no where to be found.

_**"I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation**_

_** You're living in the past**_

_** It's a new generation**_

_** An' I only feel good**_

_** When I got no pain**_

_** An' that's how I'm gonna stay**_

_** An' I don't give a damn**_

_** 'Bout my bad reputation**_

_** Oh no, not me**_

_** Oh no, not me**_

_** Not me, Not me"**_

__I finished, panting and sweating as the crowd roared my name. Relief and pride flooded me as I took it all in. Freakazoid, Dexter, William, and my uncles had all been right. I **can **do this, I **am** a good singer. As I took in the crowd's cheering, for once in a very long time, I felt good about myself. I closed my eyes and smiled to myself. _"Thanks guys, for believing in me."_

**.:Done! Thank goodness!:.**

My back hurts. So, side notes, I don't own _**A Freakalicious Time**_- that's Nathalorial's fanfic, which is really good. I don't own the song Bad Reputation by Joan Jett and I found the lyrics on Google. I'll try to post the next chapter soon. Until then, read and review!


	16. Booger Beasts, Steff, and Cars, Oh My!

I'm ALIVE! Sorry I've been gone so long. I had summer homework and then when I got back to school, I had a lot more homework. I've been busy and this year is going to be hectic. But I have quote dividers again! Oh, and I'm also taking ideas for one-shots for my story _Together, In a Freaky Mad Way_. It doesn't have to be about Charlotte and Freakazoid/Dexter's relationship. It could also be about any of the other characters. Don't be afraid to say something. Also, I made a mistake in my last chapter. I said "Keys" instead of "key". There's only one key. Sorry about that. Rated for language, or in other words, Charlotte.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Freakazoid. Which totally sucks.**

** .:OBJECTION:.**

I hopped off the stage and ran over to Freakazoid with a grin. Steff stormed off as soon as I got close, though.

"I wonder what's wrong with Steff." he said, watching the retreating form of his girlfriend.

"I don't know." Big lie, but he didn't have to know that. "You came to see me, though! That's awesome!"

"Of course I did. I told you I would."

I looked around, searching for Dexter. "That's weird... Dexter was here a few minutes ago. Now I don't see him. I wonder where he went."

"Maybe he went to the bathroom?" Freakazoid suggested.

I sighed, slightly disappointed. "I guess that's possible."

"But when I saw him he said that you were really good!" he added, quickly.

I nodded and gave him a weak smile. It was upsetting to think that my best friend walked out on me in the middle of my first performance.

It was then that I heard something from outside. A scream for help. _"That's my cue."_ I thought. I turned to Freakazoid, a smile plastered on my face, "Sorry to cut this chat short, but I gotta go. See you later!" I pushed my way through the crowd before he had a chance to respond.

"Will, we have a situation!" I hissed, handing my brother my guitar.

"What do you mean, "a situation"?"

"I just heard a yell for help-"

"Over this racket?" he interrupted, referring to the loud chatter of teenagers around us.

"Yes, now shut up so I can finish. I brought my costume in the bag that had my stage clothes. I'm going to wipe the stage make-up off and change so I can check it out. Cover for me." I explained, grabbing my bag.

"Alright. Be careful, sister."

"Always."

**.:This is my story, and you're not in it:.**

_"Alright, who's the one ruining my show?" _I thought as I searched the area around the cafe. I spotted a looming shadow in an ally way right beside the Crimson Moon and decided to investigate.

There, in the ally way was a giant, bubbling, disgusting blob of green goo. Behind it, stuck to the ally wall, was none other than Steff.

"Um, ew." I said as the mass of green goop turned to me. "Just who the hell are you supposed to be?"

"I am-ah-ah-"

My eyes widened and I jumped out of the way as the creature sneezed, covering a couple of garbage cans in green slime.

"Booger Beast." it finished.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust, "Charming."

I swung my pole at the creature, only for said weapon to get stuck in the center of the thick ooze. Booger Beast grabbed my pole, still in my grasp, and brought me up to his face. I laughed nervously and waved, "Uh, hi. You're not mad, are you?"

It answered my question when it threw me through the wall of the Crimson Moon Cafe. I grunted in pain as my back hit the wall above the stage. Slowly, gravity forced me to slide down to the ground. I groaned, "I'll take that as a yes." Looking above me, I saw my pole embedded in the wall. "Son of a bitch." I sighed. _"Tonight is just not my night."_

"Darkness!" I heard Freakazoid shout as he rushed over to me.

"Freakazoid," I began, pointing to the huge hole in the wall, "There's a girl stuck to the wall in the ally. Get her while I take care of tall, dark, and slimy."

It was then that Booger Beast entered the cafe through the hole, screams of panic and people running out the door followed as a result.

"Can you handle it?" he asked, helping me to my feet.

"Would you like to trade places?" I asked rather snappishly. I just got thrown through a wall and it hurt like hell, I had a right to be a little testy.

Freakazoid looked at the slime monster, then back at me. "Good luck!"

I snorted as I watched him run off into the ally. _"Figures. Though given the circumstances, I can't blame him." _I switched my gaze over to the approaching monster, then to my weapon. _"Not enough time to get it out. Looks like I'll have to go hand to hand." _I grimaced at the thought, _"This is going to suck. A lot."_

I sped towards the beast, fist poised to attack. I swung and, to my dismay, my hand got stuck in the thing's body.

_"...EW, EW, EW, EW!" _I thought, fighting down the bile rising in my throat.

The slimy creature threw me again, this time I hit the front of the stage. _"Ow." _I thought, _"I think I bit my tongue..."_

"Darkness, look out!" Came Will's voice.

I looked up to see my brother, in costume, charging towards Booger Beast, the wires in his gloves loose and ready for an attack.

"That's not going to-"

It was too late for my warning as the wires had slipped through the slime and knotted in the center of its body. Soon, my brother joined me against the front of the stage.

"What's the name of this one?" he asked.

"Booger Beast."

"...Charming."

"My thoughts exactly, brother."

"What are we going to do, sister?"

"...Beats the hell out of me."

We both groaned in pain as we got back up.

"We better think of something before this thing beats the hell out of us." Will said, watching as Booger Beast scared away everyone in the cafe.

"...This sucks." And then it hit me, _"Sucks..."_ A grin made its way on my face as a plan formed in my mind.

Noticing my "up to no good" grin, my brother turned to me. "What is it?" he asked cautiously.

"I have an idea. Distract it for me!"

"Why do I always have to be the decoy?" he complained while I darted into the kitchen.

_"Closet, closet..."_ I thought frantically, _"AH!" _I threw open the closet door and grinned at my prize. _"Bingo!"_ I snatched up the item I had been searching for. "Time to clean house, boys!" I said, walking out of the kitchen. _"I've always wanted to say that!"_

William gaped at me, his disbelief clear as day. "A vacuum cleaner? That's your brilliant idea? A vacuum cleaner?"

"Yes, it's a freaking vacuum cleaner! Do you have any better ideas?" I snapped. _"Why does he always have to ruin my fun?"_

When my brother went silent I ran towards Booger Beast, flipped the power switch on the vacuum, and put the hose in the creatures body. In a matter of seconds the green slime was sucked into the cleaning machine. I turned off the vacuum, grinning. Will walked over to me, looking exhausted, as I pulled out a squirming plastic vacuum bag.

"I can't believe that worked. I hope we don't have to do this every Saturday night."

"See? My awesome idea worked."

"Darkness?"

Freakazoid and a slime covered Steff entered the cafe through the hole in the wall.

I grinned at them, "Geez, how long does it take to get one girl off a wall?" I was joking around, but for once, Freakazoid didn't smile. He walked over to me and swiped his thumb across the corner of my lip. Pulling his hand away, I was shocked to see the smear of red on his white glove.

"You're bleeding." he stated, concern on his face.

I brought an arm up to wipe my mouth and discovered that he was right. _"I didn't even taste the blood. It must have happened when ugly was tossing me around like a rag doll."_

"Do you need a doctor?" my brother asked, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"No, I'm fine. I just bit my tongue a little harder than I thought, that's all. Nothing to worry about."

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Steff glaring at me. Turning on her heel, she left the cafe. _"Good riddance."_

I tossed the wriggling bag to Freakazoid, who seemed to take no notice of Steff leaving. "Give that to the cops. Our slimy friend is in there."

"Wait, what are you two going to do?"

"We have somewhere to be." William answered.

"See you later, Freakazoid." I said before we parted ways.

**.:Quit touching yourself!:. (Author's Note: No, this quote is not from anything perverted so get your minds out of the gutter. )**

When we changed back into regular clothes, we made our way back to the cafe to see Dexter talking to one of the cops, Cosgrove, I believe his name was. Spotting us, Dexter said good-bye to the old cop and ran over to us. His expression was frantic and his voice was panicked as he spoke, "Where were you two? I looked everywhere!"

"We went out to get some tea because the cafe was too noisy." I lied swiftly, "We would have invited you to come with us, but we couldn't find you."

"What the bloody hell happened here?" William breathed out, acting truly horrified.

"A criminal named Booger Beast was fighting Mad Hatter and Darkness. He threw Darkness through one of the walls. Then she sucked him into a vacuum." he explained.

"That sounds like something you would do." Will commented knowingly, smirking.

"Cool! This Darkness sounds like my kind of person."

"Well," my brother began, not giving Dexter a chance to speak, "Charlotte and I should go make sure our uncles are unharmed." He grabbed me and proceeded to drag me away from my best friend.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow if I can! They might need help cleaning up!" I called out.

"Alright. And by the way, Charlotte, you were great tonight!"

By that point, I didn't care that I probably looked like a loon with a huge, idiotic grin on my face as my brother dragged me away. At that moment, I was happy.

**.:It's over 9000!:.**

The inside of the cafe was empty except for me, my brother, Uncle Tenpou, Uncle Takashi, and Uncle Liam. We all stared at the new "entrance" Booger Beast created during our battle.

"This is totally coming out of my pay check, isn't it?"

"Yup." the three answered in unison.

"...Damnit!"

**.:I've got a jar of dirt!:.**

_The afternoon was warm as young Dexter and Charlotte played in the park, Mrs. Douglas and Jade chatting on a nearby bench. The children tossed a little red ball back and forth and after awhile, Dexter missed. The ball then rolled into the street. Laughing, he ran over to it, stopping in the middle of the street as he picked it up._

_ All of a sudden, a speeding car turned onto the park road. Dexter froze like a deer caught in headlights as it came at him full speed, showing no signs of stopping._

_ Without a second thought, Charlotte ran over to Dexter as fast as her little legs would carry her. She shoved him out of the way, only to take the hit herself, full force. The last thing she remembered was flying through the air and hearing people scream her name. After that, there was only pain._

**.:Why is the rum gone?:.**

Yay, it's done! Nothing much to say on this one. Review and tell me what you think.


	17. My longest chapter

Sorry! I know it's been a while but things at school have been shaky lately. And I've been sick recently. A few days ago it was pouring, so naturally I brought an umbrella to school. Some one stole my umbrella. I'm not even kidding. That combined with being made fun of in gym class just because I'm not the best athlete has just made me feel...a little depressed, I guess. Anyway, the dividers from the last chapter, in order are: **Phoenix Wright **from **Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney**, **Auron **from the time he was in **Kingdom Hearts II**, **Artemis **from the show **Young Justice**, **Vegeta** from **Dragon Ball Z**, **Captain Jack Sparrow **from **Pirates of the Caribbean**, and **Captain Jack Sparrow **again from **Pirates of the Caribbean**.

Sorry, no quotes this time. And Charlotte curses a lot.

**Disclaimer: **Does it really **_look_** like I own _Freakazoid_? The correct answer is no.

**.:I'm afraid that you all might hate me for what I'm about to do:.**

I woke with a start that Sunday afternoon, sweat covering my body and my breathing ragged. Groaning, I clutched my throbbing head as I sat up in bed. "Ugh, it feels like I got hit by that car again." I said to myself.

**_"You shouldn't talk to yourself."_** I heard a voice tell me, the same voice from the mall, Madness.

"Shut up!" I hissed. Thankfully, the voice listened.

It was then that the sound of rain pelting my window hit my ears. Looking outside, I saw the dark gray sky and water falling to the ground fast. I could only sigh at the sight. _"Great, it's raining."_

**.:Please don't kill me for this chapter:.**

That afternoon, when I entered the kitchen I found a note from my brother. It said that he was going to be at the cafe to help clean up and he wouldn't be back until night fall. I crumpled up the note and tossed it into the trash can with a sigh. _"Now what am I supposed to do?"_

I ended up taking a walk at the park, a green umbrella above my head. For whatever reason, that memory of the car accident was making me feel depressed. I knew that if I stayed home I probably would have gone crazy. I was just wandering around aimlessly, trying to clear my head.

"Honestly, grow up!"

_"That sounds like Miss Two Face. Who's she yelling at now?" _Looking around, I spotted Steff shouting at crestfallen Freakazoid. I gasped and hid behind a near by tree instead of leaving like I knew I should have. Eavesdropping only caused unnecessary problems.

"You're so immature and childish! Especially for trusting that Charlotte girl!"

_"Oh, hello! He's not the one throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the park."_

"But Steff, Charlotte's just a little rough around the edges. She's really nice and she looks out for Dexter."

_"He defended me..."_ I thought, surprised. _"...But what does Dexter have to do with Freakazoid's love life?"_

"It's not just about Charlotte or that Dark Witch!"

"Her name is Darkness."

"Whatever! The point is, I've seen how you act when you're with one of them. You can only be serious around one of them! When you're with me I feel like I'm babysitting a five year old! I'm sick of it!"

"But Steff-"

"It's too late Freakazoid! It's OVER!"

After that Steff stormed away, leaving a dripping wet and forlorn Freakazoid sitting on the park bench under the weeping willow tree.

I backed away from the scene slowly and guiltily, feeling as though I had just seen something I wasn't supposed to. I felt bad for Freakazoid, truly I did, but it wasn't my place to get involved.

_"It's none of my business."_ I told myself as I walked away. I flinched upon hearing a sniffle. _"None of my business. None of my business." _A series of sniffles soon followed. _"None of my business. None of my business. None of my—"_

And then came the pitiful choked sob that made my resolve break. "Steff..."

_"...Damn it all to hell and back." _Swiftly turning on my heel, I began walking over to Freakazoid. _"When the hell did I go soft?"_

Finally, after what seemed like ages, I stood in front of the glum superhero, a forced smile on my lips. I held my umbrella over his head and only then did he look up at me, the expression on his face heartbreaking.

Tears ran down his cheeks and his usually bright onyx eyes were dull and lifeless. I briefly wondered if he knew that it was pouring rain around him, or that he was shivering from being soaked to the bone.

Honestly, seeing him the way he was at that moment was nothing short of disturbing. I was so used to his child like innocence and goofy grin that seeing him without them was...so strange. It became clear to me that this was possibly the first time he had ever been hurt, emotionally anyway.

"Hey, don't look at me like that." I told him softly, fake smile turning into a frown, "C'mon, let's get you dried off before you catch pneumonia. Then we'll talk." I held my hand out for him to take.

For awhile, he only stared, not saying anything. The only noise was the sound of rain falling around us and I was starting to feel it seeping into my clothes, as the umbrella was still over Freakazoid. His silence and lack of motion scared me more that I would ever admit.

Realization struck me like lightening and instantly rage and a deep sadness overtook me.

Freakazoid **_was_** rather childish, but what wasn't childish were his feelings for Steff. He didn't just **_like_** Steff, he **_loved_**her. He loved her and she broke his heart into a million little pieces.

"Come on, Freakazoid. You can't stay here forever, you'll catch a cold or something." I urged, desperate to get **_some_**kind of reaction out of him.

I seemed to get through to him because he finally grabbed my hand. I hugged him when he stood up, surprising him. It was weird for me to hug anyone really, but I was...relieved, I guess. I can't really explain why I did it, I just kind of acted without thinking.

The front of my clothes became soaked due to the fact that he had been sitting outside for so long, but I didn't care. Pulling away, I clasped his hand tightly in mine. We walked to my house in silence, the umbrella held between us.

**.:I feel terrible now, poor Freakazoid:.**

"Mrs. Douglas, is Dexter home?"

"I'm afraid not, dear. He left early this morning and hasn't come back yet."  
A sigh escaped my lips, "Alright. Thanks anyway." I then hung up the phone.

When Freakazoid and I reached my house I had given him some of my brother's clothes to change into while I threw his costume and my clothes into the dryer.

I had already changed. I was wearing a simple blue T-shirt and jeans. I sat on my living room couch, thinking about what I should do.

I tried calling Dexter to help me console Freakazoid, but he wasn't at home. I thought about his other friends, Cosgrove and Roddy, but I didn't know how to contact them.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose with an aggravated sigh. _"I'm __**really**__ not good at this kind of thing."_I waited a few more minutes and when Freakazoid still did not come down stairs I went up to check on him.

I rapped on William's door twice, as that was where Freakazoid was changing, and slowly opened the door. "Hey, are you alr-"

My words died in my throat when I saw my friend. He only wore a pair of black sweat pants and was about to put on one of William's red sweat shirts before I walked in. His muscled chest was bared to me and his normally gravity defying hair was hanging limp at his shoulders due to being drenched. Since his black mask was in the dryer with the rest of his costume, there was nothing on his face.

We stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, neither of us able to say a thing because we were too shocked.

Finally, the realization of what happened hit me. I felt my cheeks heat up to the point where it felt like my face was on fire. My mouth hung open as I stumbled over the thoughts in my mind, trying to find something to say.

"I'M SORRY!" I shouted, embarrassed, slamming the door shut. I slumped up against it and slowly slid to the floor, my hands covering my eyes. "I am _**so**_ sorry. I really did _**not**_ mean to do that." I mumbled, wishing a hole would open up in the floor and swallow me.

In all honesty, that was the first time I had seen a boy like that.

The door opened behind me, but I didn't dare look up.

"It's okay."

I glanced up at him as he spoke the first words since Steff dumped him. He looked as depressed as he sounded. I got back on my feet, his sorry state causing me to momentarily forget about my embarrassment. I led the lost looking Freakazoid back down into the living room, making tea for us afterwards.

Flopping down on the sofa next to him, I gave him a cup of tea, my own in my hand. Freakazoid held his cup in both hands, staring at it like it held the secrets of the universe.

_"If only things were ever that simple."_

"So..." I glanced over at my friend who looked like he was barely paying attention, "What's going through your mind right now?"

He was silent, eyes fixated on the floor. He shifted around a bit and I almost wondered if I shouldn't have asked.

_"No." _I told myself firmly, _"He needs to talk about this before it does permanent damage. He needs to talk about it so he can go back to being himself." _I sighed and closed my eyes, holding my forehead in my free hand. _"Since when did I start to care so much? If this had been anyone else I would have left their asses out in the rain. Well...except for William. And Dexter. So, what makes him so special?" _A vision of Freakazoid grinning flashed behind my eyelids. Opening my eyes, I gazed at the depressed boy before me and suddenly the answer became clear to me. _"There are few people like him. People who are honestly happy about helping others and receiving nothing in return. Genuinely selfless people who have no hidden agenda, no secret motives, just a good heart. I want to protect that for as long as I can. I don't want him to let one bad experience ruin him, because sometimes that's all it takes for someone to change for the worst. I don't want him to end up like me, mistrusting and cruel."_

"I..." my inner monologue was interrupted when the superhero began to speak, "I feel...betrayed and hurt that Steff trusted me so little. That she would automatically think that I would cheat on her. I'd never do that! I love her!" I was stunned to silence when the usually happy-go-lucky boy started to cry. "Dexter...He told me that I should break up with her. He said she was using me, that I didn't mean anything to her." he laughed bitterly, something I thought didn't suit him at all, "I told him...I told him that he was just jealous because she liked me and not him. Dexter used to have a crush on Steff, you know. I knew that, but I went out with her anyway. I wonder if he hates me for what I've done."

It took me a minute to find my voice before I could respond. "...I doubt it. Dexter's not like that."

"...I'm an idiot."

I put an arm around his shoulders in an attempt to comfort him, "No. You're in love. There's a difference. Unfortunately, you're in love with someone who doesn't appreciate you."

His shoulders slumped and he let out a dejected sigh.

"Well, screw her!" I shouted suddenly, pissed off by the blond girl's thoughtless actions. Freakazoid jumped beside me, gazing at me with wide eyes as I continued my rant. "She doesn't know how special you are and one day she'll regret letting you go! It's her loss!"

"Really?" he asked, sounding skeptical, "In what way am I _special_?"

"Well, for one thing, you're a great person."

"How?"

I paused, thinking about his personality and looked back at the few memories I had of him. Without realizing it, a fond smile crept onto my face, "You're...kind and gentle, loyal to a fault. I've seen the way you interacted with the kids at the park and you're definitely good with kids. You care so much for other people, even complete strangers. You put other peoples needs before your own, something that not everyone can do. Your stupid grin is always contagious, it feels like I can never be upset for long when you're around. You...always seem to put me at ease and it's never hard for me to relax around 're just...I don't know...special." I shrugged at the end and took a sip of my tea.

Freakazoid's eyes were wide with awe and a light pink dusted his cheeks. It then struck me that I had said too much, revealed too much. Blushing, I focused my eyes on the coffee table.

_"When did I become such a girl?"_

As the silence dragged on I chanced a glance at Freakazoid. The tinge of pink on his face made him look even more innocent and child-like than usual. Noticing that I was staring, he dropped his eyes to the floor, a hin of a smile on his face.

"I see."

Silence followed his words. His eyelids began to droop, covering half of his bloodshot eyes.

_"Crying does that, I guess."_

I watched intently as one of his hands left his tea cup to clutch the fabric of his sweatshirt, directly over his heart.

"It still hurts." he said, placing his mug on the coffee table.

I sighed, fixing my eyes on the ceiling, "I got news for you Freakazoid. That pain won't ever go away, not completely, but it will become bearable. With time, the pain will lessen."

Tears rolled down his face again, this time though I brushed them away. I couldn't help myself. Something in me just had to take care of him

"...I don't know if I can recover..." he whispered, voice hoarse.

I glanced at the clock, smiling a little to see that it said 7:58. I grabbed Freakazoids wrist, catching him off guard, and dragged him towards the stairs.

"Uh, Charlotte? Where are we going?"

I shot a grin over my shoulder as I ran up the staircase, "It's a surprise."

He looked at me questioningly, but I didn't I lead him through the upstairs hallway to what would have been my mother's room. I opened the door and pulled him inside.

The room was larger than William's or mine and it had less furniture too. The room held a simple double bed with two nightstands on either side and a wardrobe. All around the room were plants of all different sizes with closed flowers of all different colors. There was one window with big black curtains covering it and one floor lamp in the coner, the rooms only two light sources.

"Whose room is this?" Freakazoid asked as I walked over to the window.

"Our mothers."

I heard him shuffle anxiously in the background when I grabbed the curtains. "Dexter told me she disappeared when you and your brother were little."

"She did." I confirmed for him, "but we still keep her things. We even unpacked them and put them in this room in case she comes back. We also take care of all the flowers in here. Not a single one has died since mom went missing and, as silly as it may sound, that fact gives us hope that she's still alive. Now come over here."

He did as he was told, eyeing all of the plants as he did so. "Why are they all closed up? The flowers, I mean."

I smiled at him, "Because they only bloom at night, at a certain time and only for a short while." I threw open the curtains, revealing the now clear night time sky.

"It stopped raining." he commented.

"Never mind that." I told him, opening the window before turning to see the rest of the room, "Look at the flowers."

He gazed at the room and I couldn't help but grin when his face lit up with awe and wonder.

Each flower was slowly opening up, their colors becoming more vibrant and lively. However, the amazing part was when little orbs of light, the same color as the flower it came out of, floated up from the center of the plants and lit up the room. Glowing orbs of red, green, blue, purple, andoters floated around the room like fireflies.

"Usuaully they bloom at midnight." I explained, breaking my friend out of his daze, "But when the air is moist, like when it rains, they bloom earlier. Mom explained to me why once, but I was little and don't remember the reason."

"I've never seen anything like it." he breathed out, mezmorized by their beauty, "What are they?"

I smirked, getting some sort of enjoyment out of the expression on Freakazoid's face. "They're called Vesperi flowers. Vesperi means "in the evening". Personally, I think something along the lines of guiding flowers would be more appropriate." I paused, allowing myself to take in the magical view as well, "Mom said that they grew along path ways where Will and I were born. She told us that instead of street lamps, these guys would light up the roads for travelers, ensuring that no one ever got lost."

He looked at me with uncertainty, "Why...Why are you showing me this?"

"I guess the point I'm trying to make is, even if you do get lost in the dark and can't find your way, there will always be a guiding light to get you back on track. That guiding light is your friends and family, the people who really care for you. And...me."

His eyes widened, clearly not expecting me to be so open. I didn't even know why I was being so open.

_"When I'm around him, I don't have to worry about anything. Because he accepts me just as I am. Just like Dexter."_

"Whenever you feel lost, come find me." I grinned, "I'll help you get back on track. Don't forget, I'm here for you."

The orbs of light suddenly flew around us quickly in a circle before flying out the window and into the night.

**.:Did I really write something **_**THAT**_** sappy?:.**

We were silent as wewalked downstairs, until Freakazoid caught a glimpse of the clock.

"Is it _really_ that time?" he panicked.

I blinked in surprise, also looking at the clock. "It's 8:30 already? Huh...weird. I better get you your clothes."

Soon after he had gotten changed we stood in the doorway of my house.

"Thank you, Charlotte."

I waved off his thanks, the same old fond smile fighting its way onto my face. "It was no trouble. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me."

He nodded, turning to leave before I spoke out again, "Oh, and Freakazoid?"

He looked at me from over his shoulder.

"Don't ever change."

He blinked and slowly but surely, a smile stretched across his face. "I won't."

I was given hope for his recovery when he raised his arms over his head and pretended to fly.

_"Good luck, Freakazoid."_

**.:I just realized that I'm such a sap:.**

About half an hour later, William came home. Upon entering the house he slumped down next to me on the couch as I flipped through the channels on tv, a sigh escaping his lips.

"Welcome home. How'd it go?"

"Most of the clean up is done. There's little left to do, thankfully. How was your day?"

I flipped through a few more channels before responding, "Well, I went for a walk and saw Steff dump Freakazoid. He was pretty broken up about it."

"Oh?" he asked with interest, "The blond girl who was at the cafe?"

"The very same."

"I can't help but feel sorry for the chap."

I snorted at his British slang, "Eh, he's better off. She was using him to be popular."

"So, she's a tart?"

"Absolutely." Finally, I left the tv on some talk show, think about how there was nothing good on. Resting my chin in my hand, I thought on the days events. "It made me so angry when she treated Freakazoid like that. I don't know why, other than she's a total bitch. I also don't know why I went out of my way to comfort him. I brought him here and gave him a pep talk and everything! I even gave the guy a hug!"

William raised a questioning blond eyebrow, "You hugged him? That's very unlike you. Haven't you known him less than a week?"

"That's **EXACTLY** my point!" I exclaimed, frusterated with myself. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to calm down. "I don't understand what's wrong with me."

"Oh? Could it be?" Will asked, a mischevious glint in his forest green eyes.

"Could what be?" I scowled.

"Could it be that my sister is... in love?"

My right eye twitched. "_**DON'T BE A DUMBASS!**_" I smacked him upside the head, watching with satisfaction as he fell off the couch. I ignored his grunt of pain as he climbed back onto the couch.

I scoffed at his comment. _"Love," _I thought, _"How ridiculous." _Closing my eyes, a sense of despair filled me, _"And besides, who would ever love me? Who could?"_

I came out of my thoughts in time to hear the tv say, _**"Tom Manning is the head of special operations at the F.B.I. He joins Pat in the studio tonight to go over the latest Hellboy sighting."**_

__William groaned from beside me, "Not _THIS _again. He's not real."

Glaring, I pointed an accusing finger at him, "SILENCE NONBELIEVER!"

He rolled his eyes, but stayed quiet.

On tv the man, Pat, pointed to a blurry picture of what appeared to be a man with a tail.

_**"There." **_he said, _**"That's the tail. And these are the horns."**_

"Ridiculous..." Will muttered.

"William, we live in a world with superheroes. What the hell makes a demon summoned from hell to win WWII so hard to swallow?"

"Demons don't exist, sister." he scoffed.

"Bet me. Bet me Hellboy doesn't exist." I challanged. I knew that William, despite what one may think, could never pass up a challenge from me.

"Fine." he replied with a cocky smirk, "The winner gets the loser's paychecks for a month."

"You're on!"

Shaking on it, we both turned back to the tv in time for the camera to switch over to the F.B.I agent. The man was older and nearly bald and white letters that said, _"Tom Manning, F.B.I. Head of Special Operations," _appeared beneath his face.

_**"I have a question." **_he said, _**"Why is it in these pictures, pictures of aliens, UFOs, the yeti, uh...Hellboy, why is it that they're always out of focus?"**_

_**"Why don't you tell us about the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense?"**_ Pat asked.

_**"I wanna tell you, I wanna tell the American public one thing. Now this Bureau for the... uh..." **_Tom trailed off, as though he didn't know anything about it. He looked to pat for help.

_**"Paranormal Research and Defense."**_

__Tom pointed to the camara, waving his finger like he was scolding a child, _**"There is no such thing."**_

__"Bull. Shit." I said, changing the channel instantly.

The next channel I fliped to had a man with blond hair and a blue suit holing up a book. The book said, _"The Innocent Seduced"_.

_**"Today I have a report from Dr. Fredrick, the respected child psychologist, In which he states and I quote 'Some children who admire these over-pumped super heroes do poorly in school, quarrel with their siblings, and refuse to eat their vegetables'."**_

William and I looked at eachother incredulously. Was it truly possible for someone to be so stupid?

"Is this guy for real?" I asked.

"I'm afraid so. It's so sad to see our civilization decling so rapidly."

Then, the man came to stand in front of a screen where a picture of Wonder Woman was being shown.

_**"'Role models'?" **_he asked sarcastically, _**"Look, I've seen show girls with more modesty than this so-called Wonder Woman."**_

__"HEY!" I cried indignantly, "He can't talk about Wonder Woman like that!"

"Actually, he can. It IS a democracy."

I huffed, changing the channel to a local news station. "You'd be singing a different tune if he was talking about your precious Batman."

William opened his mouth to retort, but the tv cut him off. _**"This just in, Breaking News about Washington's newest superheroes!"**_

__That caused us both to stop in our tracks.

On the screen was the battle of the first criminal I faced in Washington; the fight with Longhorn in the music store.

"How did they get this video? The store didn't have any security cameras and we made sure we weren't seen by anyone with recording devices."

"Maybe the store did have security cameras and we just didn't notice them?" William suggested, just as confused as I was.

"I doubt it. Look at the angle the footage is being shot from. Secruity cameras are generally on the ceiling, this was shot at ground level. Also, the video is in color and higher quality."

William stared at me for a moment, his expression incredulous. "How and why do you know all that?"

I smirked, feeling proud of my superior observation skills. "Being in a gang forces you to notice every little thing." I looked back at the tv, frowning, "But something's weird about this video."

"What's weird about it? Other than the fact that they shouldn't have it?"

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, analizing the footage. "You remember when the reporter was on screen. Crystal clear picture, right? That's what the pictures taken by the camera news crews always look. And you know how the videos from security cameras look too. Grainy and not much is really clear. This video is somewhere in between, like it was taken by a normal video camera."

Williams eyebrows furrowed, disturbed by the information. "So, what you're saying is that this video is from a third party?"

I nodded as the reporters came back on. "But the question, or questions in this case, are who, why, and how? Who took the video and leaked it to the press? Why did they take the video in the first place? And how did they find us on our first night on patrol?"

"So much for not drawing attention to ourselves."

I slapped his arm lightly and shushed him when the reporters began speaking.

_**"Tonight we will be discussing the new superheroes in Washington. A brother and sister it sounds like, have begun fighting crime here."**_

__A photo of William and I in uniform popped upp behind the two reports, which they turned to look at. Judging from how tired we both looked and the blood on the corner of my mouth, I guessed it was from the night we fought Booger Beast.

The male reporter let out a low whistle, _**"Geez, what happened to them?"**_

_** "I'm told Booger Beast attacked one of the local cafes."**_ the female reporter answered.

They showed another photo, this one from the fight with Longhorn.

_**"So tell me Jane, just who are these kids?"**_

_** "Well Joe, We've been informed that they're the Mad Hatter and Darkness."**_

_** "So what's with their costumes?" **_Joe asked, laughing, irritating both my brother and I, _**"They look like a couple off punks. And what was Darkness thinking with her make-up?"**_

__"That's my natural skin color, you bastard!" I shouted at the television.

"Charlotte, they can't hear you through the tv."

"Shut the hell up, William!"

_**"I mean, was she trying to look like the Joker?"**_

__"Fuck you, Joe. Fuck you with a brick."

William rested a hand on my tense shoulder, an amused smile on his face. "Now, now Charlotte. There's no reason to get angry."

_**"And what's with the boy? It looks like someone has read one too many fairy tales."**_

__Will's head snapped back to the reporter, a growl rumbling in his throat.

_**"Honestly, where did he get such a ridiculous costume?"**_

__"In older times, THAT was considered the proper way to dress, you bloody imbecile." my brother growled.

I mimicked my brother's earlier actions, a sickeningly sweet smile on my face. "Now, now William. There's no reason to get angry."

_**"...Thanks to an unknown source the battles of the duo have been recorded."**_

__Sure enough, all of the fights we had been in while we were in Washington had been recorded.

_**"Sure they get the job done, but can we trust them? Are they really the kind of people you'd want to expose your kids to?"**_ Joe asked Jane.

_**"I agree. They are efficient, but how would they act with the general public?"**_

___"Talk about disheartening." _I sighed and glanced at my brother. Hewasn't doing much better. I reached over and took his hand in mine in an attempt to comfort him.

This wasn't unusual. William and I were used to comforting each other. I guess it's because with our powers, we're the only ones who know what the other is going through.

_**"...We have a statement from our beloved superhero Freakazoid on what he thinks of the situation."**_ Jane said with a smile.

The screen changed and showed Freakazoid fooling around with the microphone.

_**"Excuse me Freakazoid, we're on." **_someone off camera said.

Freakazoid looked at the camera with his stupid grin. _**"Well, I think we don't have to worry about Darkness or Mad Hatter. All they want is for people to be safe. They may seem scary at first, but I trust them."**_

My brother and I shared a smile.

"It's nice to know someone is on our side."

"Even when that someone is Freakazoid?" he asked teasingly.

I thought for a moment before speaking, fondness seeping into my voice, "Especially if it's Freakazoid."

"It sounds like he's really getting under your skin."

Choosing to stay silent, I turned my eyes to the ceiling, _"Maybe he already has."_

**.:Yay! My longest chapter:.**

Sorry about the wait. I made the chapter so long so I could apologize. My neice, who is only 15 months old, was recently in the hospital. She was admitted on the 18th of December, my birthday. Needless to say it left me a little depressed. Luckily, she was released in time for Christmas. Thank you to all of my loyal readers for putting up with me. You're all amazing! Please read and review. Also, I do not own Hellboy or the Justice League.


	18. First Day: First Fight

...Why do I keep doing this? I procrastinate too much. I'll try to be better!

XBloodMageRikaX: Thank you for the encouragement. It means a lot to me.

Magma Fyre: There's a Hallmark channel? Thank you for your feedback, I'm always worried about keeping the characters in character. It's probably the thing I'm most paranoid about. That and accidentally making Charlotte a Mary-Sue...

Nathalorial: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and I hope you're not mad that I've been gone for so long.

Bloody NailBunny: ...Well... That was certainly the most interesting review I've ever received. I'm glad you like the story, though.

Bronycuddlykitte : I promised that I wouldn't abandon this fanfic and trust me, for better or for worse, I intend to finish it. I always hated it when authors discontinued their stories because they were so good and it was disappointing to see them end before they were supposed to. Besides, I don't think anyone would **want **to adopt my fanfic. Thank you for your review.

Disclaimer: ...Do I really have to say it? I don't own _Freakazoid._

_**.**_**:Line Break:.**

_**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**_

I groaned, rolling over in bed. Groping my nightstand for the infernal alarm clock, I finally managed to make the damn thing shut up. I sighed in content and rolled over again.

_"Blissful silence."_

"Charlotte, wake up! Today is our first day of school and we have to go meet up with Dexter!"

_"...Son of a bitch."_

**.:Line Break:.**

"Today is going togoing to suck. I just know it." I grumbled moodily, kicking a rock down the sidewalk.

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

"We're going to _**school**_, stupid. That alone makes it a sucky day." I grunted as I fixed the black messenger bag that was slung over my shoulder, "Oh, and let's not forget that my ass of a brother has forbidden me from driving my kick-ass motorcycle to school, despite the fact that he has one himself."

Okay, so I wasn't exactly the most pleasant person in the morning, but let's face it: if I walked around smiling in the morning, that would be pretty freakin' creepy. Besides, morning people are weird.

William sighed, used to me being difficult. "It's impractical since we're picking up Dexter. Walking won't kill you, sister."

"But walking is _sloooow_."

"Charlotte, with **your** driving, you'd get ten speeding tickets before we even reached the school parking lot."

_"Not if the cops couldn't catch me." _I thought, smirking inwardly. On the outside, though, I crossed my arms and pouted, "I wanted to scare all the idiots, though."

Will shook his head, fighting a smile, as he knew exactly how _that _would work out. "Don't worry, Charlotte. I'm sure you will make an... interesting impression before the day is done."

"You're still a kill joy." I said as we approached Dexter's door step.

"Then I'm doing my job." He smirked at me and rapped on the door twice. "I mean, who else is going to keep you out of trouble."

"It's not my fault that trouble finds me."

What, did he think I purposely provoke people, insult them, and beat them up? ...Oh, wait... I guess I did do that. For they record, they all totally deserved it!

He was about to retort when the door opened, revealing a smiling (does she ever stop?) Mrs. Douglas.

"Well, good morning, Charlotte!" she greeted cheerfully.

_"What's so good about getting up at this godforsaken hour?" _I thought with a sour expression. Regardless of my feelings on the subject of mornings I managed to give her a smile and a "good morning", keeping my voice as pleasant as I could.

"And you must be William!" she exclaimed, turning her attention to my brother, "You've grown so much since the last time I saw you."

"Yes, Mrs. Douglas. I apologize for being unable to come and visit sooner. Things have been quite hectic as of late." he told her with a polite smile.

"Oh, aren't you just the little gentleman?" she gushed.

He blushed, then glared at me for snickering behind my hand.

"Oh, but listen to me going on and on! Come in, come in!" She ushered us inside and led us to the kitchen, where Dexter and Duncan sat at the kitchen table, eating cereal. William leaned against the door frame to the kitchen, book bag slung over one shoulder. I ended up standing behind Duncan, careful not to make my presence known to him.

Duncan, unaware of the fact that I was standing directly behind him, began punching his brother in the arm while managing to eat his cereal at the same time.

"Duncan!" his mother shouted, her scolding tone causing him to flinch, "Stop playing around and finish your breakfast. You don't want to be late."

Having been caught, he lowered his fist and continued to eat quietly. That is, at least until Mrs. Douglas left the room. Just as he was about to hit Dexter again, I caught his wrist. He yelped as I tightened my grip and turned to glare at me. I locked eyes with him and he promptly froze, which in turn made me grin. It wasn't the same grin I would show Dexter, but a grin full of malice.

I despised Duncan ever since we were children. He'd constantly beat up Dexter, even knowing that he couldn't defend himself, and would leave nasty, painful bruises. But did he care about his brother? No. And that fact just killed me. I mean, I could never imagine doing the things he did to Dexter to my own brother. Older siblings are supposed to protect their younger siblings, not hurt them.

I remember the first time I saw the bruises. Dexter, and I were playing in the backyard of his house while William was with our mothers in the living room. It was winter and we had been playing in the snow. I had slipped on the ice and fell on Dexter, knocking us both to the ground. The fall had caused his shirt and jacket to rise up, allowing me to see his bruised stomach. They weren't too serious, but the damage was bad enough. I remember how mad I had gotten after seeing them and after a few minutes of poking and prodding him for answers, Dexter finally told me that it was Duncan who did it.

As soon as the words had left his mouth, Duncan entered the back yard. Long story short, Duncan ended up with his face in a little turtle sandbox, nose bloodied and mouth full of sand. After that I made it a point to beat up Duncan whenever he placed a less than friendly hand on Dexter. He's been afraid of me ever since. Not that I minded.

"Hiya Duncan!" I greeted with false cheer, "Didja miss me?"

"C-Ch-Charlotte!"

I placed my free hand over my heart, "Aww, you remember me! That just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." I brought my face closer to his and lowered my voice so only he could hear me, "Listen, I feel like being nice today so here's a warning for you. I _**know**_ you haven't been very nice to Dexter while I was gone, I'll ignore that for now. The fact that I've been gone changes nothing. If you hurt him, I'll hurt you and your pain will be tenfold whatever his is. Are we _**clear**_?"

He nodded and let out a whimper.

I released his wrist with a disgusted look, watching him shiver through narrowed eyes. Dexter continued to eat as I delivered my threat with a neutral expression. I knew that he got no joy out of seeing his brother like that. He didn't like the fact that he had to be intimidated in order for Duncan to be kind to him, but he knew that at this point in their life, he wasn't going to change.

"I'm done." he announced, placing his cereal bowl in the sink. Walking past William and I, he retrieved his book bag from the living room. "Let's go."

William glanced at Duncan and motioned for me to follow them out the door. Without even sparing the scumbag a second glance, we left.

**.:Line Break:.**

Having arrived early, Dexter and I sat in homeroom alone. With Will being a year below us, we had to part ways in the hall.

"So," I began, digging out a pencil and sketchbook from my bag, "Have you heard the news?"

"About Freakazoid? Or about Darkness and the Mad Hatter?"

I shrugged, lifting my eyes from the blank pages to him, "Either, both, whichever. How's he doing, by the way?"

Dexter sighed, leaning back in his chair, "He's... He's still in pain. This is really hard for him."

"That's to be expected. Heart break is always a very messy thing."

"He's never dealt with this before. I don't think I've ever seen him this... serious."

"He's probably thinking about what that... bitch said to him about being childish." I told him, my mind going back to the incident. "He clearly loved her very much. Think about it. I know you've seen the girls in the streets who throw their underwear at him because they're all so crazy about him. Which, by the way, I find pretty freakin' disturbing and quite frankly gross."

Dexter chuckled softly at my face as it scrunched up in disgust.

"Freakazoid could have his pick of any girl in Washington, but he chose Steff." I continued, my irritation growing the more I thought about it, " That alone should have _**meant**_ _**something **_to her. That out of all those girls, he chose _**her**_. He chose her to love, to care for, to treasure. I've seen the news reports of when they were together and I've heard numerous stories. From what I know and what I've seen from him, everything he did, it was clear how much he loved her. From what I've heard, he was the one who was serious about their relationship, not her."

Dexter sat silently for a moment, absorbing my words. "You're right." he finally said, "He was absolutely nuts about her. I just wish that we both could have seen her for what she really was sooner. Then maybe he wouldn't be questioning himself like he is. Maybe we could have stopped this from happening."

I smiled fondly at my good friend, and shook my head. Dexter was such a sweet guy and he always seemed to want what was best for everyone. Part of me was amazed to find out that, despite his personality, he didn't have a girlfriend. Even more surprising was the fact that he hadn't made any new friends since Will and I left. I could tell that due to years of bullying and dealing with Duncan had severely lowered his self-esteem. Eventually, he probably just stopped trying to connect with others. A person can only take so much rejection before they just close up. It was sad and it made me angry at both other people and myself.

I was angry at them for treating him so poorly, for judging him without even trying to get to know him, for only looking at him and seeing a "nerd" instead of seeing him as a person. I was angry at myself for not being there to protect him, like I always had when we were little. I was furious at myself for leaving in the first place. If I hadn't left... if I hadn't left Washington so many things would be different. Dexter wouldn't be so down on himself, I wouldn't have dragged a bunch of innocent girls into a gang, I probably wouldn't be so pissed off at everything, and Danny...Danny might still be alive.

I shook my head again, this time at my negative thoughts. It was _**waaay **_too early in the morning for me to be feeling sorry for myself. "Dexter, you can't protect him forever. He's a big boy and sooner or later, he was bound to experience pain and there's nothing you can do about it. It's something we all have to go through with."

He nodded, eyes downcast, mouth set in a firm line. I reached over and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "You're a good guy, Dex, but no one escapes this world unscathed." He nodded again and I patted his shoulder once before removing my hand.

"You're right." he admitted.

"Of course I am. After all, I have wisdom." I managed to say it with a straight face, but I ended up laughing as soon as Dexter turned to me with an incredulous expression. It wasn't long before he joined me.

"Okay, so onto a less depressing topic, the new duo. What do you think of them?" I was slightly anxious to hear his answer.

His smile faded and he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, they just came out of nowhere, it's a little suspicious. We know nothing about them and we don't know what their intentions are. I think it would be foolish to trust them so soon."

My heart fell at the answer.

"It's not surprising that Freakazoid trusts them. He likes seeing the good in everyone. I just think he should be a little more careful, especially given what happened with Steff."

"Yeah, but they aren't hurting anyone."

"Yeah, so far they aren't. However, that doesn't mean anything." he argued, "I'd have to wait and see before I can really decide whether to trust them or not."

His answer upset me more than I would care to admit. I knew that it shouldn't have due to the fact that he didn't know that my brother and I were the Mad Hatter and Darkness, but hearing that he didn't trust me hurt a lot.

_"Dexter doesn't trust me as Darkness, but at least he trusts me as Charlotte."_

At that moment, the first bell rang, causing us both to jump. Dexter sighed and sunk in his seat, "I think you should sit somewhere else, Charlotte."

I almost flinched, _"Ouch, that kinda hurt."_ "But why? Are you embarrassed that I'm you're friend?"

He shook his head frantically, realizing his mistake. "NO! It's nothing like that!" he explained, "It's just that I'm not exactly the most popular guy in school. If you're seen with me, you'll probably be written off as an outcast."

"Oh, good. Less stupid people to deal with."

Dexter gawked at me, jaw wide open. It would have been funny, if his comment hadn't irritated me so much. "W-what?"

Leaning over, I slapped him upside the head. "You are an idiot. Tell me something, Dex. When have I _**ever **_cared about what other people thought of me?"

"Um, never..."

"Then why would I care now?"

"..."

"Exactly. Dexter, you're my best friend and if people around here can't accept that, then they're not worth my time."

He continued to stare, dumbstruck. Slowly, a smile crept onto his face. "Thank you."

Snorting at his behavior, I went back to my blank sketchbook. "For what?"

He shrugged, his face slightly pink, "For just being you."

I blushed and looked toward the window to hide my face, trying to seem indifferent. "Yeah, whatever."

Suddenly, the classroom door swung open and three football players (at least I assumed they were. They were wearing the team jackets) entered the room, laughing obnoxiously. I got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach as I looked at them.

_"Somehow, I get the feeling that this won't end well."_

To my displeasure, the leader of the three, a boy with greasy black hair and mud brown eyes, locked his eyes on me. He sauntered up to my desk, his two friends hanging back to watch him. Clearly ignoring my "Get the hell away from me" signals, he slapped his hand on my desk to get my attention. When I glared up at him he gave me a sleazy smile that made my stomach turn.

"Hello, gorgeous!" he whistled.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for noticing." My eyes fell on my sketchbook again. _"Maybe if I ignore him he'll get bored and go away." _Unlikely, yes, but I can dream, can't I?

"The name's Jason Summer. Star quarter back." he bragged, not noticing my gruff tone or my clear lack of interest in his existence.

"Charlotte Hightopp. Aspiring singer." Yes he annoyed me, but my I still have manners. Never let it be said that my mother raised an ignorant child.

The fact that Jason kept smirking at me despite the fact that I was mocking him told me that he was an idiot. Besides him being stupid, he still wasn't leaving me alone.

Dexter glanced at me nervously, knowing how I felt just by looking at my face. He waited and watched to see what I would do.

"I didn't see you here last year." he continued, leaning closer to my face. I moved back in my seat, not appreciating the fact that my personal space was being invaded. "You new here, beautiful?"

I almost gagged, or spat in his face. I couldn't decide which. "Do _**not **_call me by pet names, first of all. Second, I am indeed new here. What of it?"

Jason chuckled and licked his lips, an action that made me shudder on the inside. "You're feisty, aren't you? I like that."

_"I think I'm going to vomit."_

"So, do you need someone to show you around?"

The corner of my lip curled upward in a smug smirk, revealing a few of my teeth. "Nope, I'm good. A kind gentlemen offered to show me around, already." I was delighted to see the jock's facial expression turn sour.

"Who?" he asked, eyes narrowed in anger.

I pointed to Dexter, who in turn stared at me with an "are you out of your mind" look. "My friend here. Wasn't that sweet of him?"

Jason growled at him a moment and turned back to me with his sleazy smile. "Why don't you ditch him and hang out with us?" His hand reached to grab my chin, pausing when I spoke.

"_**Don't**_," I warned, a sharp edge in my voice, "touch me. That is, unless you _**want**_ to lose your fingers."

Chuckling, he payed no attention to my warning. "You _**are**_ a feisty one!" he placed a finger under my chin, tilting my head up to look up at him, "I think that's sexy."

I cracked my neck and growled. Grabbing his wrist, I stood and, before he even knew what was happening, I had his arm twisted behind his back. I shoved him harshly forward onto the desk, causing it to jerk and making my pencil and sketchbook fall to the floor. He let out a hiss of pain. His friends, stunned by the action, stood rooted to the floor. Dexter's face was a cross between fear and exasperation. He was probably afraid to get beaten up by the jocks and exasperated because I ended up resorting to violence on the first day.

I took a deep breath to calm myself before I ended up breaking every bone in Jason's body. Glancing over my shoulder, I smiled sweetly at the two jocks then turned back to Jason. "Now then, I suggest that the three of you, especially you Jason, pay attention because I'm only going to say this once. I realize that you must be very feeble minded, so I'll use small words for your sake. I hate people like you, people who think they're better than everyone, people who walk all over others and treat them like dirt."

By this time other students entered the room, gasping and whispering to each other.

"Just because you're a football player and Dexter is smart, doesn't mean I'm going to ditch my best friend to hang out with you losers. You see, unlike you shallow jerks, I choose my friends based on personality and not social status. Therefore, I will never hang out with you, let alone date you. Oh, and for future reference, the next time you touch me, I will break your fingers." I brought my mouth to his ear and whispered, "Do I make myself clear, Mr. Summer?"

"Y-yes." he breathed.

"Good!" I abruptly released his wrist and pushed him to the side and off my desk. Stepping over him, I went back to my seat, retrieved my sketchbook and pencil, and went back to attempting to draw something like nothing happened.

The students continued to gossip by the door, unmoving. I rolled my eyes.

"I'll tell you all the same thing. I pick friends based on personality, not looks or social status. I don't believe in such shallow things." I paused and tapped my pencil on my chin, faking thoughtfulness, "Oh, and if you hurt any of my friends, I'll do everything in my power to make your life a living hell. Any questions?"

They all shook the heads.

"Good. Now quit gawking and sit down already."

Even as they took their seats I could feel all of their gazes on me, even as the teacher walked in.

"Good morning, class..."

I set my drawing utensil down and shifted my eyes to Dexter, grinning, "Well, that went well, don't you think?"

Dexter's only response was a groan and a smack to his forehead.

**.:Line Break:.**

I'm sorry that this took so long. It was a mixture of procrastination, stress from relatives being in the hospital, and depression from a death in the family. Thank you all for being so patient with me and I do hope that you'll continue to put up with me. Please review!


	19. First Day: New Friends, Old Enemies

Oh my god! It hasn't been three months and I'm updating? The world is going to end! Not really, but I'm trying to break the habit of procrastinating. The way the new system is that I'm making for myself is that the sooner I get reviews, the sooner I update. My goal is to finish this story before I go to college, but as I look at all the pages I've written, I don't see that happening. Oh well. To those of you who are interested, all of my relatives who were in the hospital have now gotten out. Although, now I'm dying from allergies. Enough of that, though.

akira45: Thank you for your positive feedback. It made me smile.

Nathalorial: I know it was similar to Onyx's first day and I only realized that when I decided to reread the chapters of your fanfic. I was thinking to myself, "Oh man, I hope she doesn't think that I'm trying to copy off of her or something!" The difference between Onyx and Charlotte though is that Onyx is much kinder and she definitely has a better handle on her temper. Now that I think about it, they'd probably make an awesome tag-team. Wedding plans, huh? That sounds so exciting! Congratulations! That said, I don't think anyone's going to hold it against you if you don't update for awhile, myself included.

Bronycuddlykitte: Thanks for your feedback. To be honest, it was the first review that you made for my story that motivated me to try to be better with updating my stories. Thanks for the motivation!

XBloodMageRikaX: Thank you for your kind words and for being so understanding. It always makes me smile when I read my reviews and see that I have some very awesome reviewers. It lets me know that I'm doing something right.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing!

**Warnings:** Foul language.

**.:Line Break:.**

"Whoo! The day's half over!" I cheered as Dexter, William, and I made our way to the lunchroom.

"Yeah, half a day of you threatening jocks. Way to make a first impression." Dexter pointed out, his voice tired.

"The concept of subtly is lost on you, isn't it sister?" William, who had lunch with us, asked with a sigh.

"It's lost on those muscle headed bastards, too." I complained.

"Two wrongs don't make a right." he scolded.

"But three rights make a left!"

Both boys groaned, smacking their foreheads. I grinned, resting my arms on each of their shoulders and gave them a squeeze, gaining smiles from both.

Arriving at the cafeteria, the three of us grabbed a table near the windows.

"So," I began, glancing at the two, "I was thinking of joining a club." I waited quietly for their input.

"I think you should."

"Any ideas on which one, sister?"

I shook my head and opened my brown paper lunch bag. A few days before school, Uncle Tenpou told me that I should take up an after school activity. He said that it would help me make friends and it would look good on a college application. Wanting to make him happy and proud, I agreed that I would look for a good club.

"You know," Dexter began, "This Harry Chronic High has a Drama Club. They're in charge of the school play every year and it's filled with some pretty nice people. I think you'd be good at acting."

I arched a brow at him, skeptical. "And what how did you come to _**that**_ conclusion?"

He gave me a lopsided smile. "If I recall correctly, when we were in Kinder garden, whenever you got into a fight with the other kids, you'd act all sweet and innocent for the teachers. Most of the time, you fooled the teachers and the kid you got into a fight with would get in trouble. Assuming that you can still do that, which I'm sure you can," at this I could not help but smile, unable to deny his statement, "I think you'd do very well in the Drama Club. They'd love your talent, especially since you can also sing."

I grinned widely, a light burning in my cheeks, and a warm, happy feeling washed over me as I listened to his compliments. "Your confidence in me is flattering. Thank you."

"Your welcome."

"I'll consider it, but I'm still not entirely sure about that idea."

"I heard that the vice president of the Drama Club is also the president of the Anime Club. You might like her." Dexter reasoned, trying a different approach.

I sighed, thinking about silently as I bit into my sandwich.

Sensing my hesitation, my best friend sighed. "Look, the tryouts are today after school. You really should think about it."

"I will."

"The Anime Club," William began, locking eyes with me, "Which I know you'll want to join, doesn't meet on the same day the Drama Club meets." Dexter and I turned to him questioningly. "I checked the schedule for the clubs earlier to see if there was anything I was interested in."

Huffing, I narrowed my eyes at the boys. "Why do you both continue to push me when I just told you that I'd think about it?" I did nothing to hide the mild irritation in my voice.

"Because I, we, think that it's something that you'll be good at and enjoy." Dexter paused, smiling, "Besides, you need more friends other then Will and I."

I resisted the urge to cry "hypocrisy". After all, according to his mother, the only friends Dexter had were my brother and myself.

Without warning, he stood from the table.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To go get lunch. Unlike you two, I don't have time to pack a lunch in the morning. I'll be right back. Save my seat while I'm gone."

"Nah. I think I'll give your spot to Jason Summer. I mean, he's just sooo dreamy!" I jokingly batted my lashes, attempting to look like a lovestruck girl.

Dexter laughed and waved before he headed to the lunch line. When he was out of sight, I put my sketch book on the table and began working on a sketch I drew earlier that morning. Reaching into my lunch bag, I pulled out a chocolate chip cookie and nibbled on it as I drew.

Curious, William peered over at my handiwork. "Why are you drawing Dexter?" he asked with a smirk, startling me.

Scrambling, I snapped the book closed. I glared at my brother, though it didn't have much of an effect due to the fact that I was blushing. Th smug expression on William's face made me want to slap him senseless. "Shut up! It's none of your business."

"If you like him, you should tell him." he advised, his smirk gone.

"I know!" I snapped. "I just … I just don't think I'm ready for another relationship. Not yet, anyway."

A look of understanding came over his face, soon replaced by sympathy. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

I sighed, irritated by my inability to keep my temper in check. "Yeah, well... When do you ever?"

"I could ask you the same." he laughed. "Do you think you'll ever tell him?"

"Maybe, maybe not." I replied briskly, wanting to get off this topic of conversation, "I... don't know how he'd take it."

"It would probably shock him." he mused, talking more to himself than me.

"At any rate, school this year is bound to be interesting."

"No kidding!" Dexter interjected, arriving at the table with a slice of pizza, "With you two here, things are going to be very different."

"I've made a decision about the club thing." The boys looked up at me expectantly. "I will join the Drama Club on one condition."

Dexter's eyebrows furrowed, "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

"And this condition is...?"

I grinned deviously, "You two have to join the Drama Club and the Anime Club with me!"

"WHAT!"

"If you two don't join me willingly, then I'll drag you there. And you both know that I can." I couldn't stop my grin from widening as I viewed their shocked expressions.

"I can understand bringing your brother, but why me?"

"From what I've heard, your only friends are William and I. Since your argument for why I should join the Drama Club is that I need more friends besides you two. Since we all apparently need more friends, it only makes sense that we all join together." I smiled at my flawless logic.

Dexter's mouth opened and closed a few times as he searched for a counter argument. Unable to find one, he sighed and slumped in his seat. "Look, it's not as easy for me to talk to people as it is for you two." he sighed, "It doesn't exactly help that most of the students here think of me as Dexter "Creepy" Douglas."

"First of all," I said, giving him a hard stare, "you are _**not**_ creepy. Those people are just idiots. Second, have you really tried to interact with others besides Steff? I mean _**really**_ tried." His silence confirmed my suspicions. "I'll help you, you know that right? Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you! It's just... no one ever wants to talk to me. Not if they don't have to." he responded without skipping a beat.

"Maybe you should put in the extra effort to try to talk to others. It works both ways, you know? I'll help you make friends, but you have to let me and you have to be willing to try."

He sighed and instantly I knew that I had won. "Alright, I'll go."

"Yes!"

"What about me?" William asked, having been left out.

"What _**about **_you?" I countered with a bored expression.

"You're so cruel..."

"Hey, no rest for the wicked!" I grinned.

"I'll say." a stuck up voice said from behind me.

I turned to see Valerie, Jill, and Steff. I growled and glared at the trio. After what the blond had done to Freakazoid, I didn't want her to be anywhere near me. I was beyond disgusted with her and just gazing at her smug face made my blood boil.

"Who are you three?" my brother asked them, already sensing that they were bitches.

"They're just the Bitch Squad. Don't worry, they're not important." I sneered, resisting the urge to beat the blond to a bloody pulp.

"Excuse me?" Steff sniffed indignantly.

"You listen to me and you listen good, you attention desperate, deceiving little slut."

William and Dexter moved away from me as I stood from the table. They both realized that the tone I was using was a very dangerous one. It was eerily calm, held a growling undertone, and wielded a fiery edge. All of these traits signaled how close I was to snapping and hurting someone. Right now, that someone was Steff.

"I saw what you did to Freakazoid. First, you use him for your own popularity, completely taking advantage of him. Then, you dump him simply because you're no longer the only girl he hangs out with, regardless of the fact that he was utterly devoted to you. You hurt my friend. I don't take well to that. Let me cut to the chase," I grabbed the blond bitch by the front of her shirt, bringing my face dangerously close to her and inwardly grinning at the fear in her eyes, "if you _**ever**_ hurt _**any**_ of my friends _**ever**_ again, I won't, _**can't **_be held responsible for my actions. So if not for my sake, then for your own, _**stay the fuck away**_."

I shoved her back as I released her shirt. She stumbled, but managed to keep herself from falling. She glared at me defiantly, even though there was still fear in her eyes she was silently challenging me, causing my blood to boil hotter with anger and excitement.

"I'm not afraid of you." She stated, voice trembling.

Years of being in a gang taught me a lot of things. Things like knowing if someone was a good person or being able to tell when someone was lying. Steff was lying.

I smirked, "Are you sure?"

She swallowed nervously, but stood her ground, "Yes."

I tilted my head to the side, grinning at her like a madwoman, a look that I had practiced for years. Slowly, I took a step forward and they stepped back. Suddenly, I lunged at them, "BOO!"

Shrieking, the trio turned tail and ran. A satisfied grin grew on my face as I watched them retreat. Once they were completely gone, I sat back down, feeling calmer than I had been when they had appeared.

"Sister..."

"Oh, don't start! They deserved it for pissing me off and being heartless bitches."

He shook his head and sighed, "It's not a good idea to make so many enemies on your first day. You'll get a bad reputation."

I pouted at him, "You don't get it. Freakazoid was really broken up about it and she doesn't feel bad about it at all. He really liked her. I feel bad for him, you know?" I rested my head in my hand and fixed my gaze on the table. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dexter shifting uncomfortably in his seat, distracted. _"He's been acting weird lately. I wonder why?"_

**.:Line Break:.**

The period after lunch, for me, was science. Unfortunately, William and Dexter had different class than I did, so I was all by myself. I arrived early and sat at one of the empty tables in the front of the room. Setting my books down neatly, I took out my sketchbook again and busied myself with my drawing while I waited for class to start. A few seconds later, the door opened and someone walked inside. I ignored them until said person sat next to me. I stopped and glanced at the newcomer.

It was a football player, sporting one of the Harry Chronic High Football jackets. He had short blond hair and bright blue eyes. There was a smile on his face, but it was a different smile than the one Jason had been wearing that morning. His smile was kind.

I raised a brow at him, recognizing him. "Aren't you in my homeroom?"

"Yes, I am. I saw what happened with you and Jason."

"And that doesn't bother you at all?"

He shook his head, chuckling, "Not really. Jason is kind of a jerk."

I snorted, "What do you mean "kind of"?"

"Okay, he's a big jerk." he amended, "I hope that your encounter with him this morning didn't make you think that all the jocks here are like that. It's mostly just Jason and his friends."

I felt the corner of my lip tug upwards. It was nice to know that not all of the jocks were asses. "I'm beginning to amend my first assessment. The name's Charlotte Hightopp."

"Oh, I know that. I think everyone does. Between your performance on Saturday at the Crimson Moon Cafe, your fight with Jason this morning, and your exchange with Steff in the lunch room, you're practically a celebrity around here." He stopped when he saw my expectant stare, confused for a moment. "Oh!" he exclaimed, realizing what he had done, "My name is Justin Credo. I'm also on the football team, as you've probably already guessed from the jacket. Everyone's talking about you."

I felt dread pool in my stomach. The last thing I needed was for a bunch of people to be spreading rumors about me. "God, news travels _**way **_too fast around here." I groaned, dropping my head on the desk.

Justin let out a little laugh. "Yeah, pretty much. So, I'm curious, are you really friends with Dexter Douglas?"

My head snapped up and my gaze turned icy. I didn't care how nice this guy was, if he said anything bad about my best friend, he is going to be in for a world of hurt. "Yeah, I am. Is that a problem?"

He held his hands up in defense and shook his head frantically. "I'm just surprised, that's all!" he said hastily, "It's just that Dexter- well, no one thought he had any friends. He's kind of a loner, pretty much just keeps to himself. That, and he's what people around here consider a nerd and you're... Well, girls who look like you, around here, typically don't hang out with guys like Dexter."

I huffed, folding my arms over my chest, "Well, I'm not like other girls. Excuse me for being friends with someone who's not like me. I'm sorry that I'm not shallow like a lot of other girls."

"There's nothing wrong with it." he explained, "It's just different. It's actually kind of refreshing. Usually, people don't stray too far from their groups. You know, football players with the football players, cheerleaders with the cheerleader, that kind of thing."

I tilted my head to the side, smiling at Justin, "You're not like the other football players."

"Is that bad?"

I shook my head, "No, it's a good thing. I'm glad that you're not like the others. Stereotypes are lame anyway."

Justin laughed and grinned, and I had a feeling that I'd be spending more time with him in the future. Just then, the first bell rang and the teacher walked in.

**.:Line Break:.**

Finally, it was the last period of the day. I had Geometry, and once again I was by myself. Once again I was early to class and I picked a desk at the front of the class. I took my sketchbook out and, having finished my drawing of Dexter earlier, I began drawing Ichigo from _Bleach_. Just as I finished drawing his face, a girl walked into the classroom.

The girl had pale skin, long black hair with purple highlights tied back in a messy bun, and violet eyes. She wore a black T-shirt, gray sweat pants, and black sneakers.

She looked at me and a grin slowly spread across her face, which admittedly confused and scared me a little. Putting her books on the desk next to me, she leaned on my desk, eyes fixed intently on my face. "You're Charlotte Hightopp, right?"

I leaned back in my seat, feeling as though my personal space was being invaded. "Yes..." I answered, uncertain of what she wanted.

"You sang at the Crimson Moon Cafe, too, right?"

I nodded slowly. _"This girl is...weird."_

"How good would you say you are at acting?"

"Okay, I guess. Look, what exactly are you trying to get at?"

Her grin widened as she stood up straight. "Will you join the Drama Club?"

I raised an orange eyebrow at her. "Um, I was going to try out. Who are you? You're kinda freaking me out."

"Oh, my name is Samantha Meyers, but you can call me Sam. I'm vice president of the Drama Club and president of the Anime Club." she explained with a smile, "I saw your performance on Saturday and I must say, you have quite the stage prescence. I also saw your little spat with Steff and her friends at lunch. I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate them. It's nice to see someone putting them in their place. Anyway, with your talent, the Drama Club would love to have you."

"Um,thanks." I blinked in surprise. I had thought that with what happened with Steff, Jason, and I today that everyone would either be afraid or stay away from me. _"I guess I was wrong."_

"Listen, do you mind if my brother and my friend join, too?"

"You mean William Hightopp and Dexter Douglas?" she asked, "No problem."

"Really? That's it?" It didn't make sense that she agreed so quickly.

Sam's smile turned sad. "Thing is, the Drama Club is kind of in a tight spot right now. I'll explain it to you after school, but right now we're desperate for new, fresh talent. That's why I was so happy to see you here."

Before I could ask anything else, the bell rang and the teacher arrived. All during class I couldn't help but wonder why the Drama Club was so desperate for new members.

**.:Line Break:.**

Two story updates in one day... My back hurts now. I'm sorry if this chapter is bad, I had trouble writing it. The first day is broken into three parts, so the next chapter is the end of the first day. Please review and tell me what you think.


	20. First Day: Dilemmas and a New Voice

YAY! I'm starting to break my bad habit of waiting months and months before updating! I'll be happier when the habit is finally broken though. My last chapter sucked so bad, so thank you for bearing with me. I'll try to make this one better. Also, YAY, chapter 20!

haccat: I know, right? I mean, it's not like Dexter is hiding a big secret from Charlotte or anything serious like that. ...oh, wait...

Magma Fyre: Yeah, I know that I have a tendency to do that every now and again... I have A.D.H.D., can you tell?

XBloodyMageRikaX: I'm so happy that you were looking forward to it! I shall continue to try to update regularly.

**Disclaimer: I have about five dollars to my name. Do you really think I own **_**Freakazoid?**_

**.:Line Break:.**

After ninth period, I told Sam that I'd meet her in the auditorium, where the Drama Club was meeting, as soon as I retrieved William and Dexter. Just as I predicted, they were trying to weasel their way out of it. As it was, I had to drag them through the halls by the backs of their collars. It would have been humorous, if it hadn't been pissing me off so much.

"But, sister-"

"No."

"Char, I gotta-"

"No."

"Oh, look over there, sis-"

"No."

"I think someone's calling me. Can I just-"

"No! You two promised me to come with me and damnit you're coming!"

They both began to protest in unison, "But-"

"NO!"

...How sad is it that one teenage girl can drag two teenage boys down a hallway all by herself?

**.:Line Break:.**

"Hey, Charlotte!" Sam greeted as we arrived in the auditorium.

"Hey, Sam. Sorry I'm late, I had to drag these idiots here." I replied with a smile, gesturing to my brother and my friend who stood behind me. I had let them go when we walked through the doors.

Dexter, being the shy and awkward person he was, offered Sam a smile and a wave, which she returned with a more confident one of her own. William, however, took one look at Sam and his eyes went wide, a light pink dusting his cheeks. Judging by the look on his face, I'd say that he found her attractive.

_"Interesting." _I thought with an almost devious smirk, _"I think my brother has a crush! I'm sooo going to tease him about this later!"_ I wouldn't tease him too much, though. He was my brother after all and, even though I didn't say it much, I loved him dearly. Besides, if I got on his case too much, he'd say something about Freakazoid or Dexter to get back at me.

Sam, noticing that William had yet to say anything, walked over to him and grinned. "You must be William, Charlotte's younger brother, right? My name's Sam Meyers. It's good to have more people around here."

William sputtered nervously for a moment, which I snickered at, before responding. "Y-yes. I'm William, or Will for short. It's nice to meet you, um.. Sam."

I almost burst out laughing at him, but that would have been mean and people would have looked at me like I was crazy. It was hysterical to see my normally cool and collected little brother so flustered. I couldn't blame him, though. He'd never had a girlfriend before and Sam was probably the first girl I had ever seen him take an interest in.

I leaned over to Dexter and whispered, "Now, I could be wrong, but I do believe that we're witnessing the beginnings of love here."

He chuckled under his breath, clearly able to see the same thing I did. "Yes, but other people are showing up now. Why don't you put him out of his misery for now?"

I nodded, seeing how flushed William was getting. Clearing my throat, I drew my new friend's attention away from my blushing brother, who seemed to be both a little relieved and disappointed that her violet eyes were no longer on him. "I think the others are showing up." I told her.

She observed the auditorium and realized that I was right. "Oh, right. I have to go make a speech now. First meeting and all of that." she said, "I'll also be telling everyone about why the Drama club is in trouble. Thanks again for coming."

"What, just like that I'm in?"

She nodded, frowning. "Yeah, all three of you, in fact. Like I said, we're desperate." Throwing me an apologetic, yet thankful smile, she walked up on stage and got everyone's attention. I was actually surprised how few people were there.

"Um... Okay. Welcome old and new Drama Club members. As some of you may already know, Harry Chronic High is unique in the respect that instead of the school being in charge of the plays, the Drama Club is in charge of taking care of it. Every year, the school lends us some money and we pick the play, the make-up, the costumes, and the cast and stage crew. The responsibility of raising the money each year also falls on us." (I know this doesn't happen in real life, but this is a fanfic. Like I said, bear with me , people.)

I glanced at my brother, who shared my quizzical expression. That was defiantly an unusual arrangement.

Sam sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "The thing is, well... look, there's no easy way to say this, but... We didn't bring in much money last year and the year before, not to mention the fact that there have been school budget cuts, bad ones, this year. I'll be frank, the school says that if we don't pull in any money this year, we're going to be cut."

Outraged whispers echoed throughout the room. It was clear that the students loved this club a lot.

"I know, I know. And of course, with sports being as important as they are in any school, they won't cut them. Our club also has very few members this year because most of our members were seniors last year. So, this year we really need to make this play good and do something different. Clearly the classics like _Romeo and Juliet_ are not catching people's attention."

"Why not have the students submit their own ideas of what play we can do?" I spoke up, causing everyone to look at me, much to my displeasure, "The Drama Club members could submit their own idea too, of course. Then, when the deadline rolls around, the Drama Club can vote on which idea they like best. After that, things can proceed as they normally do here."

Instead of talking about my suggestion, they were whispering to each other about William, Dexter, and I.

"Dexter Douglas joined a club? **Our** club?"

"Isn't that the girl who picked a fight with Jason and Steff?"

"Is the blond boy her brother? He's cute!"

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on._ "God, I hate people."_ I thought, _"Their club is about to get cut and I give them an idea to save said club and what happens? All they want to do is talk about us in whispers. If they're so damn curious about us, they should just walk up to us and talk to us."_

"Hey," a deep male voice spoke up above the crowd. Suddenly, everyone went silent and stepped aside to reveal a boy with short black, spikey hair, pale skin, and bright green eyes. He was dressed in a black, long sleeved shirt with a crimson cross, black skinny jeans, and black sneakers.

Judging by the way the others reacted, he obviously held authority in the club.

"If you have something you want to ask our new members, then ask them. Don't just sit there and whisper. That's how rumors start and I loathe rumors." He came up to me, a slight smile on his face, "I'm glad that we have new members this year, especially when one of them has already shown how much potential she has. Your idea is brilliant, by the way. I'll be sure to post fliers around the school and make up a box where they can be put."

"Um, thanks. And you are?" For some reason, I kept thinking that the guy in front of me looked a little like Sam.

"I'm Jacob Meyers, but just call me Jake. I'm the president of the Drama Club, and Sam's older brother. She's told me a lot about your performance on Saturday."

_"Oh, well that explains the resemblance." _"If you're the president of this club, then why aren't you making the speech?"

He wore a wry grin, "I hate making speeches."

Sam hopped down from the stage, dashing over to us. "You'll give us an idea for the play too, right?"

"Naturally."

Grinning, she threw her arms around me, "Thank you! Maybe we won't have to shut down the club after all!"

I tensed at the sudden contact. Awkwardly, I patted her back until she let go. When she pulled back and I saw the happy expressions on both Sam and Jake's faces, I couldn't help but smile back.

_"Maybe this school isn't as bad as I originally thought."_

**.:Line Break:. (I'm sorry that the school parts are so horrible! Don't be mad, please.)**

"Any ideas about what you're going to do for the play?" William asked as the three of us walked home.

"Not a clue." I responded. The truth was that I had spoken without thinking. I honestly had no idea what I was going to do, but I knew I had to come up with something. Sam had been so happy with my idea and the thought of letting her down even though I had just met her upset me.

William could see my inner dilemma on my face. "Maybe you should ask Uncle Tenpou for inspiration."

I scoffed at the idea. "Will, as much as I love our uncle, he has no imagination whatsoever."

"He reads a lot, so he may just surprise you."

"See previous statement."

My brother gave me a pointed look, clearly annoyed with my stubbornness. I returned it with a glare. This was our usual thing to do whenever we were at an impass.

Dexter cleared his throat from behind us, effectively distracting us. "So, uh, how did you like the school?"

William shrugged, "It was alright, I suppose."

"It was okay. You know, minus the football players and Steff and her friends. Still, I did meet some interesting people."

"So, is that good or bad?"

I grinned, "All in all, it was a good day. You know, for school. I'm glad that I came back to Washington."

Dexter smiled back, seemingly pleased by my answer. "Um, Char?" he began, suddenly nervous, "I was wondering, uh...tomorrow...would you..uh, go to the mall with me?" He was blushing and refused to meet my eyes.

I couldn't help but find his nervous quirks endearing. "I'd love to. Last time we went, our trip got ruined by Steff and the others. Hopefully, that won't happen this time."

He grinned, his whole face lighting up as he nodded. "Yeah, and this time I can show you the arcade! I know all the best games, I can show you if you'd like."

"Yeah, that would be awesome! I can't wait!" I paused and realized that my brother was now walking behind Dexter and I instead of next to us as he had been a few minutes prior. He was plotting something. I could tell because he had a scheming smirk on his face, one that was similar to the devious ones that I usually wore. That alone made me wary.

"What are you doing back there?" I couldn't keep the accusatory tone out of my voice.

"Oh, nothing." he replied innocently, though we both knew better, "I must have just fallen behind without realizing it."

_"Yup. He's plotting. The question is , what?"_ I sighed, knowing that there was nothing I could do about it just then. Rather than dwell on it, I turned back to Dexter, smiling. "We'll go tomorrow after school, okay? We'll just drop our stuff off at home first."

"That sounds good." he glanced back at Will, "Do you want to join us?"

William merely smiled apologetically, shaking his head. "I'm afraid that I have work tomorrow. You'll have to forgive my absence."

Dexter frowned and returned his attention to me. We conversed happily until we reached his house, where we parted after saying good-bye.

** .:Line Break:.**

"You look awfully happy tonight." Uncle Liam commented as I stood behind the register with a stupid grin on my face.

"I'm going to the mall with Dexter tomorrow after school." I replied happily.

He chuckled from in the kitchen, "So you're going on a date with your boyfriend? That explains it."

I felt my face go red, causing my cheerful mood to vanish. "He is **_not_** my boyfriend!" I cried indignantly, causing him to laugh louder.

_"__Though you wouldn't mind if he was.__"_ came a little voice from the back of my mind. This voice, though, was different than the one I had heard in the mall. This voice was light and bubbly, not at all malicious or dark like the one I heard at the mall. Regardless of the tone of the voice, I was still irritated that I was hearing, not only one voice, which seemed to be picking at my weak points, but two voices.

I groaned quietly, so as to not alert my uncle who was only a few feet away. Resting my elbows on the counter, I buried my face in my hands, exasperated. _"Son of a bitch! Why the hell is this happening to me? Who the hell are you?"_

_ "__What are you talking about? I'm you.__"_

_ "Number one, you are not me. Number two, that is not what I meant."_

_ "__The dark one told you, didn't she? We're here to remind you of what you forgot. We're both you. Or rather, we're parts of you. Madness, the dark one, is the you that you were with the Jade Dragons, only she is mostly pure negative emotions.__"_

I sighed, dropping my forehead to the counter. I was hearing voices, and what's worse, I was conversing with them. Even worse than that, they were actually starting to make sense._ "Okay, then. What the hell does that make you?"_

_ "__I'm the you before the accident. Mostly, anyway. So I guess you could call me Lottie, since you seem to dislike the nickname so much now. Not only am I here to remind you of what you forgot, but I'm also here to balance out Madness.__"_

_ "And why do you need to balance her out?"_ I asked, slowly beginning to accept the fact that I may just belong in the looney bin.

_"__Oh, because if I didn't, you'd go completely mad. Criminally psychotic, even.__" _It was frightening how cheerful she sounded as she explained it.

_"Lovely. Listen, Lottie, you have no place in my thoughts."_

_ "__Actually, I do. We are one in the same, after all.__"_

_"No, you're-"_ I stopped and groaned again. _"I'm arguing with a figment of my imagination. I've finally lost it."_

_ "__Well, you __**are**__ mad. Anyway, as you know, I'm here to remind you of what you forgot.__"_

_ "Just like I told your friend Madness, what if I don't want to remember? And another thing, if we really are 'one in the same', how come I'm the only one who forgot?"_

_ "__When you had your accident, Madness and I were separated from the rest of your mind to remind you of what is important when the time is right. Even as a child, you knew that what you had to do one day was much too important to forget.__"_

_ "Whatever." _I huffed, not believing any of it.

I could hear Lottie sigh at my stubbornness. _"__At least I'm honest about my feelings. Or rather, __**our**__ feelings.__" _

I growled low in my throat, _"And just what the hell is __**that **__supposed to mean?"_

_ "__It means that I know how __**we**__ feel about Freakazoid and Dexter. I think it's high time that you get your head out of the sand and realize it for yourself.__"_

_ "...And what the hell does __**that **__mean?" _There was no response and I could no longer feel Lottie's presence. _"...Cowardly bitch!"_ I thought bitterly, now thoroughly confused and annoyed._ "What the hell did she mean by that? I already know how I feel about Dexter and Freakazoid...Don't I? ...Stupid voice, making me doubt myself."_

The ring of the bell above the cafe door broke me out of my thoughts. I stood up straight and offered my brightest and friendliest smile to the three men who entered the cafe. All three men were in suits. Two of the men wore gray suits, while the third wore brown. The brown suit clad man had his hands on his hips in a jaunty pose. Oddly enough, their appearance made me think of the mob for some reason.

_"Weird."_ I thought. I did not voice my opinion, though. Instead, I kept my smile on my face and greeted them in a cheery voice, "Hello! Welcome to the Crimson Moon Cafe. What can I do for you gentlemen?"

The man in the brown suit smirked, leaning his elbow on the counter, hands glued to his hips still."Hello. I'm here to sell you "Oops Insurance"."

**.:Line Break:.**

Yay, cliff-hanger! The school parts of the fanfic suck, to me anyway. I myself am a fairly introverted person due to the fact that most of the kids I go to school with are stupid and enjoy drinking until they pass out and smoking illegal drugs. Because of this, I'm not exactly great at making friends and have little experience with after school clubs. Please just bear with me. Review please.


	21. Healing Broken Hearts

Hi! So, yeah. I actually wrote something for my profile after updating the last chapter. Now it's not blank anymore. I doubt anyone cares, but I just thought that I should put it out there. So, I've been on Deviantart recently and I've been seeing more _Freakazoid _things. It's also good to see that so many people on this site still like _Freakazoid_. I wish that there was a third season.

akira45: I'm sooo sorry that I didn't get to you in the last chapter! Your review only popped up after I uploaded the chapter. I'm glad that you liked the chapter.

XBloodMageRikaX: Thank you for that. I'm very self-conscious about everything I do and unfortunately, writing is no different. That makes me very happy.

Nathalorial: I couldn't believe how long your review was. The play probably won't be in the main story, I may write a one-shot for it. I'll try to work in Onyx making an appearance in the drama club. I appreciate all of your insight. Our school doesn't have a drama club, so I don't know how a real one works.

**Disclaimer: **As usual, I only own the Ocs and the plot.

**.:Line Break:.**

"Hello. I'm here to sell you "Oops Insurance"."

My smile became strained as I started to sense bad vibes coming from the man before me. I could feel trouble coming on. "What is "Oops Insurance", sir?"

His elbow moved to the glass jar full of tips that sat on the counter. The next instant, it fell to the floor with a "CRASH", money and glass shards littering the floor. My smile fell and I narrowed my eyes at the smug man, not looking away once, even when the jar broke.

"Sir," I said in an icy tone, "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you and your friends to leave."

"And I'm afraid that I can't do that. Not until I get my payment. I don't think I have to tell you what will happen if I'm not payed."

_"Yeah, you'll destroy everything like the jackass you're proving to be."_ "I will _**not **_be intimidated by you or your thugs, sir. We will not pay."

"Your funeral." He motioned for his goons to attack.

I stepped back as they advanced with menacing expressions. I blindly reached out along the wall behind me until I gripped the handle of a broom. _"It will have to do." _"Sir, if you don't leave at once, I'm going to have to use force." I warned, pointing the tip of the broom at them.

The leader only laughed, "I'd like to see you try!"

The two thugs took another step before they were suddenly frozen in pain. Standing between the two idiots was Uncle Liam. His smile was thin, conveying his annoyance, as he pressed down on the pressure points on their wrists. His smile only grew in an almost sadistic way as they grunted in pain. The leader stared in shock, clearly confused as to how Uncle Liam got from the kitchen to the two goons so quickly. It was something I didn't understand either, but given the circumstances, I certainly wasn't complaining.

"I believe that my employee just asked you gentlemen to leave. Why don't you do that and we'll forget this whole mess." Uncle Liam proposed, an obvious threat in his polite words. He released their wrists and thrusted them towards their boss. They stumbled and fell to the floor by their boss's feet.

The man growled as his henchmen got back up. "You're going to pay for that!"

Uncle Liam and I shared an amused look. "Oh, but I believe that it's _**you**_ who will be paying _**us**_. After all,that broken glass on the floor is dangerous."

The man shook with rage, hands still on his hips for some reason. "Get them!" he shouted.

Both men charged at us, but stopped suddenly when they came face to face with the end of a katana blade. Startled, Uncle Liam and I whirled around to see that the one wielding the dangerous object was none other then Uncle Tenpou.

"How on Earth am I supposed to get any work done with all this ruckus?"

Frowning, I eyed the sword warily. "You know, _**normal**_ people who work for the government have guns. Why the hell do you have a _**sword**_? Better question, where the hell do you _**keep **_a sword in that disaster area you call a study?" I loved my Uncle Tenpou dearly, but seriously, a _**sword**_?

He glanced at me, smiling, "I like using swords more than guns. I usually hide it under my desk."

Briefly, I wondered if I wasn't the only one in my family who was going crazy. "Dare I ask why?"

"It's so I always have it on hand." Again, the way he answered with a cheerful smile made me question his sanity.

"So, you anticipate beating people up on a daily basis?" Uncle Liam asked, wearing an expression that told me he was probably thinking the same thing I was.

He let out a nervous chuckle, "Uh, not exactly. But it does come in handy at times like this."

The strange man who threatened us, having heard enough of our chatter, snarled at the appearance of my other uncle. "I'm not afraid of you clowns!. Get them!"

Uncle Tenpou laughed and glanced back at me, mirth dancing in his forest green eyes. "Let us take care of them, Charlotte. Why don't you go into the kitchen and call the police?"

I pouted, not liking the idea that I wouldn't get to do anything, but obeyed nonetheless. As I made the call, I could hear grunts and groans and the sounds of bodies being thrown. I couldn't have been on the phone for more than five minutes, but when I came back, all three thugs were knocked out and tied up. It made me curious and I started wishing that I had gotten a chance to see my uncles kicking butt.

Uncle Liam was picking up the tips and sweeping up the broken glass when the police arrived. Uncle Tenpou sat at one of the booths, reading a book while I kept an eye on the criminals, making sure that the didn't wake policeman I had seen Freakazoid with, Sgt. Mike Cosgrove, walked through the door, the blue superhero trailing behind him.

At first, I smiled at the two, but when I saw the somber expression on Freakazoid's usually happy face, that changed.

_"He must still be upset about Steff." _I thought sadly. I knew on Saturday when he left my house that he wasn't completely okay yet. No one can recover that quickly unless they were heartless, which Freakazoid was the opposite of. Still, seeing him so down... My sadness turned to rage as the blond's smug face entered my mind. _"She didn't deserve him! But... I guess even knowing that doesn't make the pain go away any faster, does it?"_

"Thanks for catching these guys for us. They've been causing trouble for weeks now." Cosgrove said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

Quickly, I put on a smile, "It was no problem Sgt. Cosgrove. Who are they, anyway?"

"It's just Cosgrove, and that man in the brown suit is "Arms" Akimbo. He's just a thug who likes to go around to small businesses like this and sell "Oops Insurance". If people refuse to pay, he and his goons break everything."

"Oh, lovely. The only insurance we need around her is "Idiot Insurance"." I remarked drily, glancing at the tied up bad guys.

Cosgrove chuckled, "Well, they won't be causing you any trouble in jail."

I nodded, smiling. I then looked over his shoulder at the solemn superhero and frowned.

"He's been like that ever since Steff dumped him. I haven't seen him crack a smile once." Cosgrove explained, noticing that my gaze had strayed.

"Poor guy was head over heels in love with her." I commented, "She didn't deserve him. He can do so much better."

"Yeah, seeing him like this is depressing."

"I wish that there was something I could do..."

Cosgrove stared at me intently, as though he was thinking. "Maybe there is." he finally said, "You're friends, right?"

"I consider him my friend." I admitted softly, "i don't know if he thinks of me as one."

"He does, trust me." he told me, causing me to smile, "I think that you should talk to him. He might listen to you and it might cheer him up a bit."

I didn't even need any time to think about Cosgrove's suggestion. "Uncle Liam, Uncle Tenpou, can I take off early?"

They both just smiled at me, as if they already knew what I was planning.

"Go ahead, dear. I'm sure you're shaken up about what happened." Uncle Liam answered. He knew I wasn't shaken up about the almost robbery, but he lied for the sake of not embarrassing me.

I grinned and muttered a quick "thanks" as I hopped over the counter. I walked to the exit at a fast pace, grabbing the wrist of a confused Freakazoid on the way out.

"Uh, Charlotte, what are you doing?" Freakazoid asked as I continued to drag him down the darkened streets. It was dark, but it wasn't really late at night. "Where are we going, Charlotte?"

"What? No "Char"?" I feigned hurt, "I thought that we were friends."

"We are?" he asked, sounding hopeful and confused. I rolled my eyes at him. "I mean, we are! But I just want to know where we're going and why?"

I stopped walking and grinned at him, receiving a look of surprise from him. "We, my good sir, are going to the mall of shopping to play games at the arcade of gaming." I told him in a silly voice, trying to make him smile.

He only blinked, "Why? And why are you talking like that?"

I groaned, my grin fading into a sad smile. "You're still upset about Steff."

It wasn't a question, but a fact, as we both knew it to be true. As if to further confirm my statement, Freakazoid flinched and grimaced.

"I can't help it." he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "I loved her and I thought she loved me, too. I would have given anything, would have done anything for her. I...I trusted her with my heart. But she...she destroyed it without any trouble. She broke my heart and my trust. And now..." He paused, taking a shaky breath. One white gloved hand clutched his chest where his heart was, tears misting his eyes. "Now, there's this terrible pain in my chest. It's like..." He stopped, choking on his words, unable to continue.

I sighed, knowing exactly what he was feeling. "It's like your heart is being torn into millions of little pieces and the pain is practically unbearable. When you get betrayed like that, it feels like your whole world is crashing down around you and your life and everything you know feels like it's being swept out beneath your feet. When you finally get up and regain your balance, you feel lost, you don't know where to go. You just feel...alone. So unbearably alone and it seems like no one understands."

He again stared at me, stunned. "How? How do you know this?"

I shot him a humorless grin, "You think you're the only one who's ever gotten your heart broken in a traumatic way? 'Cause if you do, you're an idiot."

"Dexter told me about what happened with the jocks at school. Is that the reason you get so angry when people hit on you?"

I scoffed, "The reason I got so angry at them is because they were vulgar and they disrespected my friend. But... It's complicated."

He nodded, not pressing the subject.

"Anyway, that's not what I brought you out here for. Listen to me, Freakazoid. I know it's hard and I know it's painful, but you need to move on. As upsetting as it may be, she didn't appreciate you or deserve you. I know that right now you're thinking that there is no one better than Steff, but there is. I promise. You need to pick yourself up and move on so you can be happy again."

He was silent for a moment absorbing my words. "Did you ever find someone else?"

"I've had a few crushes, but I've never acted on them." I said, starting to walk again.

"Like Dexter?"

I froze, knowing Freakazoid was right. I never wanted to acknowledge it, though. It would only cause us both pain. "Promise this stays between us? That you won't tell Dexter or anyone else?"

He nodded.

"I do have a...crush on Dexter."

Freakazoid placed a firm hand on my shoulder, looking me directly in the eyes. "You should tell him."

I moved my shoulder so his hand fell, avoiding his gaze. "I can't."

"Why?"

"...There are unspoken rules about crushes and falling in love. You never _**ever**_ go out with your best friend. It's just a recipe for disaster. I also have a lot of issues and Dexter shouldn't have to put up with that. I...I don't want to lose him."

"But you don't know for sure what would happen." he argued.

"The thing about crushes, Freakazoid, is that they _**always**_ hurt."

Freakazoid gazed at me silently, pity in his eyes.

I clenched my own eyes shut, not wanting to see the same expression of pity that I had seen so many other times in my life. I especially didn't want to see that look coming from him. For some reason, it made my heartache.

"Charlotte, are you afraid? Afraid of being happy?"

"I'm not afraid of being happy, Freakazoid. I just know that my life won't work out like that."

_**"Why are you telling him this?!"**_ I heard, _**"Stop! Why are you telling him these things? These secrets, these feelings that you haven't even told your own beloved brother about!"**_

__I clutched my head as the voices grew louder. _"Please, not again! Not here, not now!"_ My pleas fell upon deaf ears as the voices only continued.

_**"If you tell him anymore, he'll turn on you! He'll betray you and leave you! Just like before! You're a monster and he's a hero! If he knew everything about you, he'd be disgusted! You're crazy and a monster, he could never stand to look at you, even as a friend! Monster! Mad woman!"**_

All of a sudden, a pair of warm, strong arms wrapped around my waist and the voices were silenced. I looked up to see Freakazoid's concerned face. He moved a gloved hand and swiped his thumb under my eyes. I stared at him questioningly until he showed me his glove. It was damp. I touched the area under my eyes and realized that I had been crying.

"Tears?" I muttered, "I haven't cried in years." I paused a moment, feeling my eyes change color, "Have I made a rhyme?"

"Charlotte?"

I shook my head, clearing my mind of the strange haze that had settled over it. "I'm fine." I squeaked out.

"I'm sorry if I made you remember something painful."

"No, it's fine." I told him, "I'm fine."

For some reason, I wasn't in a hurry to leave Freakazoid's embrace. I leaned my head on his chest, feeling content as I listened to the steady strong beat of his heart. I don't know why I felt so comfortable with him holding me, I hadn't felt that way about anyone else in a long time. I could feel my cheeks heat up as my stomach did flip-flops and my own heart sped up. I wonder why I felt this security, this safety in his arms. What was it that I was feeling?

Finally, I pulled away from Freakazoid, a smile on my face. "Thank you." I said sincerely, "I'm sorry that that happened. The reason I took you out was to cheer you up, not make you help me feel better."

He regarded me for a moment, not saying anything for awhile. "We're...friends, right?"

I tilted my head, confused, "Uh, yeah."

A small smile graced his lips as he took my hand in his. "Then I don't mind. Friends help each other when they need it, so it's no trouble. I promise Charlotte, both Dexter and I will always be there for you."

I was certain that his smile was infectious because soon I found myself returning it. "And I'll always be here for you and Dexter." I then pointed ahead of us dramatically, "And now, on with our quest! To the mall!"

And for the first time since Steff broke up with him, Freakazoid laughed.

**.:Line Break:.**

Once at the mall, Freakazoid had been quick to drag me to the arcade's virtual reality video game, only to be disappointed when a repair man told him that it was out of order.

"Sorry, but whoever played last got such a high score that the machine heated up and malfunctioned." he told them.

"Do you know who?" I had asked, surprised that a simple high score could cause a machine to over heat.

The man typed a few things into the computer before he said, "The score board says that it was someone who called themselves "Onyx". Sorry again you two."

Despite the incident, the two of us were determined to have a good time. Freakazoid dragged me around the arcade by the wrist, babbling on about each game.

_"He's finally back to his old self."_ I thought, allowing myself to smile.

Hours passed by quickly. Hours that were spent laughing, smiling, and having fun, just as I had intended. Just as we were leaving, a game caught my eye. I grabbed Freakazoid's arm to stop him, never tearing my eyes away from the game.

"What is it?" he asked before he saw what it was that had captivated me. "_Dance Dance Revolution_? I never thought that you'd like a game like that, Char."

I gave him a coy smile, "Freakazoid, there are a great many things that you don't know about me. Though I'm sure you'll learn in time." I laughed at the baffled expression on his face. No doubt he was trying to decipher my cryptic message. "You know how to play, don't you?"

"You just hit the arrows, right?"

"Yup. And you're going to play it with me."

"But I've never played before!" he protested as I dragged him up to the platform.

"That doesn't matter. The whole point of a game is to have fun."

He stood on his dance platform as I stood on mine. With the unsure look on his face I vaguely wondered if Freakazoid had ever danced before. "Hey," I began, drawing his eyes to my face, "Have fun. Just relax and let go."

A grin slowly made it's way on his face and he nodded, looking like the old, idiotic, lovable Freakazoid.

I started the game, setting it on normal (Freakazoid refused both beginner and easy mode), then chose the song _Butterfly_.

I had gotten really into the game, hitting the arrows with ease, the word "perfect" popping up after they disappeared. Freakazoid kept up pretty well considering the fact that he had never played before. I could feel myself grinning as I performed fancy, yet admittedly unnecessary moves, singing the song along with the machine and losing myself in the music.

The song ended and we both anxiously awaited our results, grins splitting our faces as we glanced at each other, slightly out of breath. A "AAA" popped up on my screen while an "A" came up on Freakazoid's. I jumped up, letting out a whoop of joy as the machine announced, "New high score", causing the hero to laugh at my uncharacteristic behavior.

The sound of clapping was heard behind us. We turned to discover that we had attracted a crowd. We turned to each other, surprised at first. Then we burst out laughing. With my cafe uniform and Freakazoid being who he was, it was a wonder how we didn't draw a crowd earlier. We made such an odd pair.

**.:Line Break:.**

After inputting my initials into the game, we left the mall. Freakazoid had walked me home. Even as the mall was long gone, the grins remained on our faces.

"Well, I'd say that tonight was a success, wouldn't you?" I asked as we arrived at my house.

"Indeed, m'lady." he replied, doing his best to look serious and dignified. "Tonight was most satisfactory. I propose that we do this again at a later date."

A fit of giggles over took me once he finished speaking. "You are too much!"

He laughed with me until it finally subsided. "You know," he began while I wiped a tear from my eye, "I meant it. I did have fun tonight and I do want to do it again sometime."

I stared at him a moment, mildly surprised by his sudden seriousness. I closed my eyes and thought, smiling. "Well, it can't be during the week, because I have club meetings."

His head drooped, sadness crawling onto his face. "Oh."

"But," I continued, "I'm free on Saturday until I'm needed at the cafe." I paused, "Did I just make a rhyme?"

"You did." he confirmed, "So, on Saturday you'll be singing at the cafe again?"

I shook my head, clearing my mind. "Yes, I'll perform every Saturday night at the cafe. I trust that I'll see you there?"

"For a little while. I'm kinda busy at night, but I've got nothing planned during the day. So I'm all yours."

My stomach did a flip-flop as the statement repeated itself in my mind. I shook my head again, ignoring the strange feeling and trying to hide the blush that was rapidly spreading across my face. _"Get a grip, Charlotte! Whatever this feeling is, just ignore it! You used to be the second in command of the Jade Dragons for crying out loud!"_ I sighed to myself, running my hand through my hair. _"God, when did I become such a girl?!"_

Hiding the frustration of my inner monologue with a smile, I turned back to Freakazoid. "Why don't we go to the amusement park? We'll meet there at nine."

"Sounds good! I'll see you there, then?"

"Yeah, I'll see you there."

I waved good-bye to him as I watched him leave. Then I entered my home, going to bed immediately.

**.:Line Break:.**

As I slept, pictures flashed before my eyes, a strange story unfolding in my dream. A young woman, named Alice, fell down a rabbit hole and ended up in a mysterious and strange world. A wonderland of sorts. It had talking animals and flowers. Everything that should have been weird felt normal to me. The dream ended when Alice returned home and set out to realize her father's dream of expanding her father's trading company.

When I woke up to my alarm the next morning, I knew that I had found our play.

**.:Line Break:.**

And I am done! My back hurts so much from hunching over my laptop. Originally, Charlotte and Freakazoid had played the virtual video game, but after reading Nathalorial's fanfic where they played the game, my scene just seemed to pale in comparison. So instead, I put in an Easter egg. I hope you like this chapter. Review please!


	22. The Calm Before the Storm

Yay! Reviews! I hadn't expected to get them so soon after posting the last chapter. I was so happy when I saw them that I decided to type this one up now! In case anyone wasn't sure, in the last chapter, Charlotte's dream was of the Tim Burton's _Alice in Wonderland_.

**Alienatia: **Yum! I love cookies, especially chocolate. Too bad that they're not real. Still, I thank you for your review!

**akira45: **I know, right? I don't think he'll ever be completely over it, though. Everyone remembers their first love.

**Nathalorial: **I'm sorry that you've had a bad week. I've been having a terrible summer, so I can relate. I'm glad that my Easter egg cheered you up. Like I said, I had originally written a scene for the virtual reality game, but yours was so much better. I don't know if this will help you, but with my fanfics, I write the story down on paper, then revise everything when I type it up. Usually for me when I'm writing the words just write themselves, but that might just be me. Also, whenever I get stuck, I go to Youtube and watch the show that the fanfic is for. It might inspire you. Don't worry about the summary of your fanfic, I'm pretty sure that mine has already has already changed a lot from my own summary. :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Freakazoid_ or _Alice in Wonderland_.

**.:Line Break:.**

At school, the morning seemed to drag on and on. It was probably because I was eager to talk to Sam and go to the mall with Dexter.

The morning passed without incident, much to my surprise, and finally lunch had arrived. I grabbed my lunch and rushed to the lunch room. A surprise awaited me upon my arrival to the cafeteria. Justin, Sam, and Jake were all sitting at the lunch table with William and Dexter.

I took my seat, grinning, "So, I guess this is the cool kids table now?"

The others grinned or smiled.

"Do you mind?" Sam asked.

"Nah, I'm glad. Besides, I need to talk to you guys. I have an idea for our play.

"Oh," Jake began, "Tell us."

I explained my dream in detail. The tale captivated the occupants of the table and fascinated them. By the end of my story, Sam was grinning from ear to ear.

"Charlotte, you are amazing! Can you write up a script for it?" she asked.

"I started writing it this morning." I dug through my folders and handed her the unfinished script, "You can read over what I have so far and tell me what you think."

"Hold on," Jake interrupted, leaning over his sister's shoulder to look at the script, "We said that the Drama Club would vote on the idea."

"Jake, look at this. It's strange, it's different, it's freaking _cool_. I don't think anyone would say no to this."

"Even still..."

"I'll continue to write it." I told him, "Just in case."

"Can you stop by the club real quick this afternoon?" Sam asked, handing the script to Jake, "I'll give it back to you in case you have time to write more before the end of school. I want to run this by the club. You know, plant the idea in their mind. I'll give it back to you tomorrow, if that's alright?"

"I thought that the club didn't meet again until next week?" I asked, confused as to why they were meeting again so soon.

"Oh, the janitors are lazy and don't take care of the stage. At the beginning of every year, a few volunteers from the club do a little cleaning to get everything in order for the year." Sam explained, appearing mildly annoyed.

"Did Uncle Tenpou give you the idea?" Will asked as Jake analyzed my work.

"No, I didn't get a chance to ask him, not that I was going to. We were almost robbed, so the whole thing slipped my mind. It came to me in a dream."

At the word "robbed", everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at me, shock on their faces.

_"Oh, right." _I thought absently, _"Not everyone is so calm after almost being robbed."_

"You were robbed?!" Justin asked incredulously.

I narrowed my eyes, slightly irritated, "If you had listened, I said "_almost_". We weren't _actually _robbed."

"By who, if you don't mind me asking?" Jake asked, concern in his eyes.

"Some guy named "Arms" Akimbo. He had-"

"His hands on his hips?" Sam interrupted.

"Yeah, and he was-"

"Trying to sell "Oops Insurance"?" I was interrupted again, this time by Dexter.

I glanced between Dexter and Sam, mildly annoyed by being cut off. "I take it that this is a common occurrence?"

"Yeah." they all answered.

"The villains around here aren't exactly the brightest. They've reused schemes before and they're usually caught pretty easily." Jake said, eyes returning to the script.

"Except for Armando Gutierrez." Dexter spoke up.

"Who's Armando Gutierrez?" I found myself asking him. "Wait, isn't he the CEO of that company APEX? The one that made the Pinnacle chip, the one that was recalled?"

"Yeah. He's Freakazoid's arch enemy. He's dead set on trying to kill him." Dexter explained.

I arched an orange brow at him, "What are you, an expert on Washington's superheroes and villains?"

He smiled and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, "Well, I guess you could say that."

I smiled back. Somehow, the gesture reminded me of Freakazoid. It then disappeared when I began to wonder how my friend was feeling.

_ "Is it normal to be this concerned for a friend?"_

"This is pretty good so far. Is this supposed to be like a sequel to the story _Alice in Wonderland_?"

Jake's voice disrupted my thoughts and I found myself confused. "It's a book?" I had certainly never heard of it.

It was Jake's turn to look confused. "Yeah... Isn't that where this idea came from?"

"No. I told you, I saw it in a dream."

Sam held her chin in thought, "I thought that you couldn't dream about things you didn't know about..."

"You can't." Jake confirmed for her, handing me back my papers, "That's what makes it so weird."

"Sister, may I see the script?"

I handed the script to Will, who began to skim through the contents. "What's stranger," he started before giving them back, "Is that the story seems familiar to me, and I know I've never read a book with a tale like this one."

"It _is_ an old book. Do you think it's possible that your mom told it to you guys when you were little and you're just remembering it now?" Dexter suggested.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, "It's as good an explanation as any and it is entirely possible. As a child, William had a terrible memory and it could have happened before the accident."

"Wait, back up a sec!" Sam stopped me, "What accident? What are you guys talking about?"

I leaned back in my chair and sighed again. It seemed as though ever since I had returned to Washington, more and more mysterious had become present in my life. "Okay, so I told you guys that I knew Dexter when we were young, right?" I received nods from those who didn't know the tale. "Well, one day, Dex and I were playing catch in the park. We were laughing and having fun. Then, Dexter missed the ball and it rolled into the street. He went to go get it because he was the one who missed it. Just as he picked it up, a car came speeding down the street. Later, we found out that the driver was drunk. He slammed on the breaks too late and the car had started skidding towards Dexter."

I closed my eyes, remembering the incident. The scene flashed before my eyes in black and white. Dexter, scared stiff in the middle of the road, the sound of the car screaming in my ears.

"Dexter didn't move, though. He was too scared. Too scared to move, too scared to think, I guess. I think that I might have shouted his name, but I can't remember it clearly. I do remember charging towards him, not really thinking about what I was doing. I shoved Dexter out of the way. I turned to the car to see it only seconds away from me. I heard a sudden screech of car tires before everything went black. I think that I heard people screaming my name, but I can't be sure."

I opened my eyes to see surprised and sympathetic faces. Dexter's face, though, held guilt, his gaze fixed on the table. William stared off into space, as though he didn't know how to react. He always had that look when he heard the story. He had been with our uncles that day, so he wasn't there when it happened. I suspect that he felt bad that he wasn't there with me that day.

"I... woke up in the hospital. I can't remember anything before that day." I finally finished.

It was silent for awhile.

"...Oh." was all Sam said."

Dexter opened his mouth, about ready to apologize for the accident, again. I picked up my apple from my bagged lunch and tossed it at his head. He let out a yelp and rubbed the area where the apple had hit.

"Would you stop that?! For the hundred-millionth time, _**it wasn't your fault**_!" I yelled, glaring at him half heartedly.

"How did you even know what I was about to say?"

"I told you before, I'm psycho."

"You mean psychic."

"Yeah, that too."

He rubbed his head again, giving me his best kicked puppy look. "I swear that you like hurting me."

I grinned toothily and leaned forward on the table, feeling playful. "And I swear that you like taking it."

Dexter blushed, eyes wide, "W-what are you trying to say?"

"I think that you like being abused by a girl."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I smiled slyly at him, "I'll let you figure out the implications of my words on your own."

He flushed darker, his eyes now the size of dinner plates. "You must get some kind of sick enjoyment out of embarrassing people and causing them pain." he grumbled.

I placed my right hand over my heart, attempting to appear innocent, "Guilty as charged."

We laughed at our antics. I noticed from the corner of my eye that Jake, Sam, and Justin were all staring at Dexter, like they were seeing him for the first time. In all honesty, they probably were. This was probably the first time that anyone at school had seen the real Dexter, judging by the way they all acted. It was hard to imagine, but I guess that William and I really _**had**_ been Dexter's only friends.

"Hey, Dexter," Sam began, startling Dexter as he wasn't used to people talking to him willingly, "Do you like anime?"

"Uh, yeah." he answered, hesitantly, "Do...do you watch _Bleach_ and _Soul Eater_?"

A grin spread across Sam's face, "I haven't gotten a chance to catch up on _Bleach_ yet, but I have seen _Soul Eater_. Professor Stein is my favorite!"

Dexter visibly brightened and a smile graced his lips, "Death the Kid is my favorite character. Did you see the episode where-"

_"I'm starting to think that William and I will no longer be his only friends."_ I thought, unable to stop my grin as I watched the others all start talking to Dexter.

**.:Line Break:.**

After school ended, I asked Dexter and William to leave without me so I could stop at the auditorium. I told Dexter that I would stop by his house when I was done and then we could go to the mall.

The hall near the auditorium was busy with Drama club members. They walked through the double doors holding brooms, mops, cardboard boxes filled with junk, and other miscellaneous things. I opened the double doors and bumped into someone carrying a heavy box, causing us both to fall to the ground and the contents of the box to spill all over the floor.

"Ow, shit!" I cursed. I glanced at the person I ran into.

She was a tall, African-American female. She had long black hair tied back in a braid and kind dark brown eyes. She wore a red sleeveless shirt with a skull and cross bones, blue skinny jeans ripped at the knees, and black and white sneakers. A black choker sat around her neck and a punk bracelet rested on her right wrist.

"Sorry about that." I told her, gathering the items that had fallen, "I'm kinda in a hurry."

"It's fine." she said with a smile, helping me, "Hey, you're Charlotte, right?"

"Yeah. And you?"

"Melody Winters." she grinned, "I'm one of the actors of the Drama Club."

I glanced up at her. I had thought that _**all**_ members of the Drama Club were actors.

As if she were able to read my mind, she elaborated, "In the club there are actors and techies. Actors, obviously, act. The techies take care of all of the other important stuff. You know, building sets, making costumes, fixing things. You really don't _**have **_to be one or the other, but a lot of people here are. You're going to be acting, too right?"

"Uh, I guess. I don't know. I'll just... do what I can and hope for the best."

We finished putting all of the fallen objects back into the box and got to our feet. Melody grinned once more as she shifted the box in her arms. "Well, I really hope that you can help us this year. We all really love this club."

_"Great,"_ I thought, inwardly groaning, _"No pressure, then."_ "I'll...do what I can. Now, not to be rude or anything, but I'm kinda in a hurry."

"Of course." she said, "See you later, Charlotte."

She walked away and I entered the auditorium. It was no different in there than it was out in the hall. Student bustled through the room, carrying old boxes, sweeping and mopping. I walked up to the stage and looked around for either Sam or Jake. I huffed when I saw neither. Huffing, my eyes darted to the clock to check the time.

"Um, excuse me?" I called out, stopping a girl who was carrying a cardboard box that looked like it would fall apart at any second.

The girl had long, crimson locks that reached the backs of her knees. Her eyes were such a dark brown that they almost looked black, but they were filled with kindness. She wore a dark purple T-shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers.

"Do you know where Sam is? I'm kind of in a hurry."

She smiled, "Yeah. Wait here, I'll go get her."

She left and I went to sit on the edge of the stage. I only had to wait a few minutes before Sam came out from back stage and took a seat next to me.

"Hey, sorry about that." she said, looking apologetic, "Onyx told me that you were here already. There's a lot more to do this year than there was last year, so things are kind of crazy."

Briefly I wondered if the girl, Onyx, was the same Onyx who caused the virtual reality video game to overheat. Brushing the thought off, I handed Sam the script. "It's fine. I was able to write a little more. I have to go now, I'm going to be late."

"Late?" she asked as I stood, "Late for what, exactly?"

I stretched and hopped down, off the stage. "Dex and I are going to the arcade today."

Sam chuckled, eyes glinting with mischief, "_**Oooooooh**_, so _**that's **_it."

"What's it?"

She stared at me in disbelief, as though she couldn't understand why I was confused. Then she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Nothing, don't worry about it. Go. Go have fun."

"I will." With a smile and a wave, I left.

**.:Line Break:.**

"You certainly came out of your shell at lunch today." I commented to Dexter as we walked through the mall.

"Yeah, the others were...nice." he admitted, "I was just surprised when Sam started talking to me."

"I told you, all you have to do is open up and talk to people. You're a nice guy, you shouldn't have any trouble making friends."

"Other people don't usually want to talk to me any longer then they have to because of the way I look. They all assume I'm just a computer loving nerd." he explained.

"Well, you _**do**_ love computers, but in my opinion, you're not a nerd."

"Thanks, Charlotte."

"You're more of a dork."

His shoulders sagged and he sighed, "Gee, thanks Char, really."

"Anytime!" I grinned and patted his back.

We stopped in the front of the arcade.

"And here it is, our humble arcade." Dexter joked.

"I know. I was here last night."

He seemed to be bewildered by my comment. "I thought that you had work. Why were you here?"

"Freakazoid showed up at the cafe last night with the police to pick up "Arms" Akimbo and his goons. I talked to Mr- to Cosgrove and he told me that he was still feeling down because of Steff. I cheered him up by taking him here." I glanced at Dexter, "I'm also going with him to the amusement park on Saturday."

He deflated a little upon hearing this information, a frown on his face. "Oh. I see."

I grinned, trying to cheer him up, "Hey, what's with that face? We came here to have fun, remember? No frowning allowed!"

Dexter nodded absentmindedly. H e appeared to be deep in thought. His facial expressions began changing, almost as though he was having a conversation with himself.

_"And I thought that __**I**__ was the crazy one."_ I rested my hand on his shoulder, startling and making him look at me.

"Uh, yeah?"

"Something wrong? You've been spacing out on me a lot lately."

"So have you." he pointed out.

"Yeah, but we already know that I'm crazy. It's your sanity I'm worried about." I said, "You shouldn't bottle things up or they can resurface in the most unpleasant ways."

He turned his eyes away from me, "I guess I was just thinking about Steff."

_"That's right."_ I thought to myself, _"Dexter liked Steff too, but Freakazoid was the one dating her. It must have been difficult to be friends when the object of their affections was in the middle. I give them credit for that." _An image of the blond girl with a smug look on her face entered my mind. My jaw clenched,_ "I don't think I've ever wanted to punch someone in the face so badly before in my life."_

I patted his shoulder, "Hey, don't you even waste your thoughts on that little bitch. Dexter gazed up at me, his onyx eyes questioning me silently. "You're too good for her. You deserve someone much better. You're a great guy, any girl would be lucky to have you."

Dexter regarded me with astonishment, then dropped his eyes to the ground with a chuckle. Shaking his head, a smile pulled at his lips, "You're something else, you know that?"

A grin crept onto my face again, "Something awesome!"

He laughed louder, "Sure, we'll go with that theory."

I pretended to look indignant, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He didn't answer, he just laughed harder. I soon joined him, earning us several odd looks from by-passers. Calming down, we couldn't keep the grins off our faces.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" I asked, "Let's go have some fun!"

With that, we walked into the arcade arm in arm.

**.:Line Break:.**

The rest of the week went by pretty quickly. Although, it probably only felt that way because I was so busy writing the script for the play, even though it hadn't officially been picked yet. Melody started sitting at our table that week, along with a friend of Justin's who was on the football team with him.

Justin's friend, Mark White, was a tall, African-American boy with short black hair and dark brown eyes. He wore a dark blue T-shirt, baggy blue jeans, and blue sneakers.

They were both good people and blended into the group very well. They also became fast friends with Dexter, much to my delight.

Before I knew it, it was Saturday and I found myself waiting at the park entrance for Freakazoid. He didn't keep me waiting as he showed up at nine on the dot. Without saying a word, grinning his usual idiotic grin, he picked me up and sped us to the center of the amusement park. It was only then that he set me down.

I crossed my arms over my chest, irritation clear on my face. "How many times have I told you _**not**_ to do that? I hate it when you do that."

Freakazoid grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry. I was just excited to see you. I've been looking forward to this all week."

I could feel my face burning and my stomach filled with butterflies. The strange feelings that I felt whenever I was near Freakazoid or Dexter surfaced once again. I tried to ignore them. "You were excited to see me? Why?"

He regarded me for a few seconds, a puzzled look in his eyes, "_Why?_ Well, you're a good person."

I had to keep myself from snorting. "In what way?" I asked, skeptical.

"You're funny, you give good advice, you look out for the people you care about, you're smart, and you never get angry with me for...not being serious enough."

My heart thudded against my ribcage, dumbstruck by Freakazoid's words. I couldn't recall anyone other then my family describing me that way. At that moment, I couldn't figure out why his words made me so happy. I turned from him to hide my darkening blush. "...You're a dork." I tried to sound gruff, but I know I failed, if Freakazoid's chuckle was anything to go by.

All of a sudden, Freakazoid grabbed my hand and began leading me to the rides. He smiled at me as we walked, "You shouldn't put yourself down so much. I wouldn't tell you those things if I didn't mean them. I meant what I said, Charlotte, every word."

My eyes widened, my face was as red as a tomato by that point. The strange feelings came rushing back, stronger than ever, nearly overwhelming me. I hung my head to hide my face, I didn't want him to see me.

"...Dork."

He only laughed.

**.:Line Break:.**

The day passed by quickly. I was sure that we had been on every ride in the park, twice. We had laughed and grinned so much that my face hurt. As the time for my show at the Crimson Moon Cafe drew closer, we began to head towards the exit. A prize at one of the game stalls stopped me, though. It was a medium sized plush bumble bee.

"See something you like?" Freakazoid asked, realizing I had stopped.

"Yeah, that bumble bee up there." I replied, pointing to it.

He nodded and reached into his pocket, pulling out five dollars.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to win you a prize." He said it as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You don't have to." I really hadn't pointed it out because I wanted him to win it for me.

"I know." he said with a grin, "But I want to. I want to make you happy."

_"Great...," _I thought, _"My face is heating up again. Why do I keep blushing near him? Am I sick or something?"_

"Step right up!" The shout of the owner of the game stall forced us to look away from each other and at him, "Knock the milk bottles off the platform and win a prize! One stack gets you a small prize, two stacks gets you a medium prize, and all three stacks gets you a choice of any prize from small to large!"

"Three balls, please." Freakazoid said, handing the man his money.

The game stall man accepted the cash and put three baseballs on the counter. Freakazoid picked one up and aimed at the first stack of milk bottles.

_ "There's no way he's going to knock them all down. Everyone knows these games are rigged." _I thought, crossing my arms over my chest as I watched.

_**BANG!**_

All three bottles of the first stack were knocked clean off the platform, falling to the floor. Both the stall owner and I gaped in shock, jaws dropped, as Freakazoid picked up the second ball.

_"What the hell was I thinking? He's a freaking __**superhero**__ with __**super strength**__! Of course he wouldn't have trouble with this!"_

_**BANG!**_

The second stack toppled to the floor, the sound making the game stall owner flinch. It was obvious that not many people had ever knocked over any of the stacks, proving my theory that the game was rigged.

_**BANG!**_

The third stack had been knocked over and Freakazoid grinned madly. "I have succeeded!" he exclaimed, turning to me.

I regained my composure and grinned back at him. "Great job, Freakazoid!" I told him, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Congratulations, sir. Please pick your prize." the stall owner informed him, sounding absolutely crestfallen.

Freakazoid pointed to the bee, which the owner slowly retrieved and gave to the blue superhero. He then handed it to me. I hugged it to my chest, delighted to have it.

Something that a lot of people didn't know and probably would never guess about me is that I have a weakness for cute things.

"Hey, there's a tag on one of the wings."

I looked at the wing and, as Freakazoid said, there was a little red heart shaped tag. Written on the tag in small black letters was, _**"Hello, my name is Hugbees!"**_

"Hugbees?" I questioned aloud, an eyebrow raised. I turned to my friend, not taking my eyes off the tag. "What kind of name is-"

I stopped short, my breath catching in my throat. Without any warning, Freakazoid had wrapped his arms around me. I could feel my blush spread to the roots of my hair and down my neck. I let out a shaky breath before I spoke, "W-what are you doing?"

"I thought you said "hug me"." I could tell just by the tone of his voice that he knew damn well that that wasn't what I said.

Normally, I would have explained what I had really said and break free of his hold. However, I wasn't feeling like I normally did and the words died in my throat. _"Great. I'm crazy and sick."_

Suddenly, the ringing of a cell phone was heard and Freakazoid pulled away from me. He dug around in his suit pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Hello, Freakazoid here." There was a voice on the other end, but I couldn't make out who it was or what they were saying. "Oh, hiya Cosgrove!"

_"Ah, that's who it is."_

"...Sure, I'll go check it out right now." he said, hanging up a second later. Putting the phone back in his pocket, he smiled at me apologetically, "Sorry, I'd like to walk you to the cafe, but there's been some strange activity down at the docks. I need to go check it out."

I shook my head with a smile. He was a superhero and as such he had important duties to take care of. I knew and understood that. I tightened my grip on my stuffed bee, "It's fine. I understand. If you have time, come see my performance tonight."

"I will! And, Charlotte?"

"Hmm?"

He took my hands in his, careful not to make me drop my new stuffed friend. He peered deeply into my eyes and spoke sincerely, "Thank you, for everything you've done. You're a greater friend than I could have asked for."

My heart thumped wildly against my chest, and the strange feelings were telling me that they weren't going to go away any time soon. I bowed my head, my bangs protecting my eyes from his. "Hey, it's no problem. You'd probably do the same for me, anyway."

Freakazoid let go of my hands and began to walk away. My head snapped up and before I knew it, I was calling out to him. "Hey, Freakazoid!" he stopped to look at me, "Be careful!"

He grinned, "I will, I promise!"

As I watched him leave, I had gotten a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, not liking the thought of him going down to the docks at all. I couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was going to happen. Something that would affect us both dramatically.

**.:Line Break:.**

The reason this chapter is so long is because I had a hard time finding where I was going to cut it off. Easter egg! Onyx belongs to Nathalorial. So, what's going to happen to Freakazoid? You guys are just going to have to wait and see. Review please!


	23. Troubled Teenagers

Reviews, glorious reviews~! Sorry, I'm feeling a little silly. Reviews with positive feedback make me _sooo _happy, though.

**Nathalorial: **I know! It's rare for me to post so many chapters so quickly. I like having long hair, but I usually cut it when it gets to a certain point and donate it to _Locks of Love,_ where they turn the hair into wigs for sick kids. I'm glad to hear that you started writing more! All of your readers and myself will wait eagerly for it to be posted!

**XBloodMageRikaX: **Not to give anything away, but I've been trying to hint at the fact that Charlotte was previously in a bad relationship. That's why she's in denial, why she thinks no one could ever love her romantically, and why the idea of becoming involved with anyone that way scares her so much. Of course, it probably doesn't help that she thinks she likes two guys at the same time.

**TheRestIsRustAndStardust: **Aw, thank you! I've never heard from you before, but I hope to hear from you more in the future.

**haccat: **Dexter really does deserve more friends. I thought the Hugbees thing would be good to throw in there. I guess it's possible that the villains may have noticed how much time Freakazoid and Charlotte spend together and just haven't acted on it because she's not his girlfriend. I mean, let's face it, they're not exactly the brightest bulbs in the bunch... And don't worry about not commenting sooner, I know how school can be and we all have lives. I hope to hear from you again, though!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Freakazoid. If I did, there would have been a kickass character like Charlotte and Dexter would have had more screen time.

**Warning: **Foul language and a scene that may be considered violent, graphic, and horrific.

**.:Line Break:.**

I walked straight from the amusement park to the cafe, not even bothering to go home and change into a fancy outfit as I had the first time I performed. I arrived ten minutes before the show and, unsurprisingly, everything was set up and Will had brought and tuned my guitar for me. When the time came I walked on stage, my guitar slung over my shoulder, and I scanned the crowd. Much to my disappointment, I could see no sign of Dexter or Freakazoid. I sighed and began to sing anyway.

I took a deep breath to calm myself and began strumming my guitar.

_**"They're gonna clean up your looks**_

_**With**_ _**all the lies in the books**_

_** To make a citizen out of you**_

_** Because they sleep with a gun**_

_** And keep an eye on you, son**_

_** So they can watch all the things you do"**_

__Despite still not seeing two of the people I trusted most, I felt my mood lift a little as I saw the crowd begin to bob their heads to the music.

_**"Because the drugs never work**_

_** They gonna give you a smirk**_

_** 'Cause they got methods of keeping you clean**_

_** They gonna rip up your heads**_

_** Your aspirations to shreds**_

_** Another cog in the murder machine"**_

__Looking around the room I was surprised to see Sam, Jake, Justin, Mark, Melody, and several Drama Club members. _"I guess they came to support me." _Though the thought made me smile, I still felt a little hollow.

_**"They say that teenagers scare the living shit out of me**_

_** They could care less as long as someone'll bleed**_

_** So darken your clothes or strike a violent pose**_

_** Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me"**_

__Some people in the crowd sang the chorus along with me, others mouthed the words. Even William was moving his mouth to the words, a rare sight indeed.

_**"The boys and girls in the clique**_

_** The awful names that they stick**_

_** You're never gonna fit in much, kid**_

_** But if you're troubled and hurt**_

_** What you got under your shirt**_

_** We'll make them pay for the things that they did"**_

__My hopes were high as my eyes darted around the cafe, wishing to catch sight of Dexter or Freakazoid or both of them. I was disappointed.

_**"They say that teenagers scare the living shit out of me**_

_** They could care less as long as someone'll bleed**_

_** So darken your clothes or strike a violent pose**_

_** Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me**_

_** Ohh yeah!"**_

__I started feeling slightly peeved that Dexter wasn't there. He was the one who encouraged me to sing on stage. He had said that he would come to all of my shows unless something important came up, in which case he would text or call me. My cell phone had not gone off once.

_**"They say that teenagers scare the living shit out of me**_

_** They could care less as long as someone'll bleed**_

_** So darken your clothes or strike a violent pose**_

_** Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me**_

_** All together now!"**_

__At least Freakazoid had a legitimate excuse. He was a superhero and as such had to patrol the city often and fight crime. I knew that, but it didn't make me feel any less upset over the fact that he wasn't there. _"I'm being pathetic."_ I thought, trying not to let any negative emotions show on my face while I was on stage.

_**"Teenagers scare the living shit out of me**_

_** They could care less as long as someone'll bleed**_

_** So darken your clothes or strike a violent pose**_

_** Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me"**_

__The small happiness I had felt when I saw my new friends in the crowd disappeared and was replaced with a sick, twisting feeling in my gut. _"Why does their absence make feel so...miserable? And why do I have a bad feeling about them not being here? What's wrong with me?" _I simply didn't understand.

_**"Teenagers scare the living shit out of me**_

_** They could care less as long as someone'll bleed**_

_** So darken your clothes or strike a violent pose**_

_** Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me"**_

__As I struck the last cord, the crowd had burst into applause and I even heard people whistling. I didn't feel any joy or sense of accomplishment as I had the first time, though. In fact, I felt like hitting something. They promised to at least stop by, or tell me if they couldn't come and they didn't.

I walked off stage silently after taking a bow. My friends and brother congratulated and praised me on how well I did and I wore a plastic smile as I conversed with them. I didn't want them to know how I was feeling. _"Maybe they'll drop by soon." _I thought hopefully. I didn't know why I wanted them to show up so badly, but I did. I wanted them there.

I waited at the cafe for a few hours and even a little while after the crowd had left. I sat in one of the booths and stared at the clock as my brother and uncles began the clean up. William looked at me worriedly, a broom and dustpan in his hands.

"Sister," he started slowly, almost sounding unsure, "Is something bothering you? I thought that you'd go straight home after your performance like last week because being on stage makes you tired."

I glanced up at the clock on the wall and sighed, getting out of my seat. It was eleven at night and neither of my good friends had show up. There were still no text messages on my phone and I hadn't missed any calls. It became clear to me that they weren't coming. "It's nothing, Will." I lied smoothly, "I'm going home. Will you bring my guitar when you're done here?"

William frowned deeply, obviously not buying it. He didn't push the subject any further. "Alright. Be careful."

I nodded as I walked out the door, not in the mood to talk anymore.

**.:Line Break:.**

Once I got home, I went straight to my room. Instead of flopping down on my bed like I had originally wanted to, I stopped to stare at myself in my mirror. I walked up to the full length mirror and placed my hand on the glass, searching the eyes of my reflection._ "Why weren't they there? Why didn't they at least tell me that they weren't going to show?"_ I asked myself, wanting an answer more than anything.

_**"They probably realized your feelings for them and were so disgusted that they didn't want to see you. That's why they didn't show up. They didn't want to have to deal with a monster." **_Madness whispered.

I looked at the mirror and was startled to see Madness standing behind me, arms wrapped around my neck, lips next to my lips to whisper her acidic words to me. I whipped around, but she wasn't there. When I looked back at the mirror, she was still there, smiling her malicious little smile. I clenched my eyes shut.

_ "No, not again! I don't know what "feelings" you're talking about! I'm not a monster!"_

_**"Aren't you?" **_she asked, sounding as though she was amused, _**"Are you so sure?"**_

__I covered my ears, my finger nails digging into my scalp as I did so. _"You're lying! You're not real! Leave me alone!" _I could feel my eyes rapidly changing color from underneath my lids. I was upset and frantic, my breathes now coming out in short puffs.

_**"If I'm not real, then why are you so upset by my words?"**_

_"Shut up."_

_ **"Is it because you know deep down in your shriveled black heart that what I say is the truth?"**_

_"Shut up!"_

_ **"Think about it. You dragged a group of misguided and lonely girls into a life of crime by bringing them into your gang. You got one of the very few people who ever gave a damn about you shot. Danny, I believe his name was. You'd beat people until they bled, be it with your pole or with your bare hands. Admit it, you got a sick kick out of seeing and spilling blood. It excited you."**_

_"SHUT UP!"_ My mind started getting hazy, my head started spinning. A flood of emotions rapidly rushed through my being.

_** "Your unusual abilities only support the fact that you're a monster. Each day you become more of a monster than the last. And now..."**_ she paused to let out a dark chuckle, _**"Now you have the gall to think you can come back here and everything will be okay? That you could possibly be forgiven for the crimes, the sins you have committed? You don't deserve to be happy. Ever."**_

__"SHUT UP!" I screamed aloud, fed up with the biting remarks and the whirlwind of negative emotions, "You don't know what you're talking about!"

_**"Don't I?" **_she asked with a laugh, _**"Take a look at yourself, then you can decide if I'm lying."**_

__I opened my eyes and gasped in horror at the mirror. The image on the glass was of what I used to look like when I was in the gang, my real skin color exposed. Blood was splattered on my clothes, coat, and face. My fists were drenched in it, the crimson liquid dripping from them. The reflection of me was grinning madly, eyes as red as the blood splattered on my clothes, as red as the liquid dripping from my hands.

I took a step back from the mirror, the image rendering me speechless.

_**"You see? There's no help in this world, or any other, for a monster as mad as you."**_

__"M-mad?" the word fell from my trembling lips without me even realizing it. "I'm m-mad?" I could feel my eyes changing color again as the word ran through my mind. Then, a wave of pure rage surged through my veins. Suddenly, I couldn't see straight, I couldn't think properly, and my body began moving of it's own accord. I felt confused and angry, all I was concerned about was finding some way to release my anger. All I could hear were loud, angry voices yelling at me, accusing me of terrible things. And then, it all went black.

**.:Line Break:.**

I don't know how long I was in this state, but I regained control of myself when the voices were silenced. When I became aware of my surroundings again, I was on the floor of my room with my brother holding me to his chest, stroking my hair and whispering soothing words to me. I noticed right away that my right hand hurt and that my face and hand were wet.

"W...William?" I was surprised by the hoarseness of my own voice and found myself wondering about what had happened. Using my left arm, I wiped my face and was startled to discover that I had been crying.

William slowly pulled away, just enough to see my face, concern and fear carved into his. "Sister, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I squeaked out automatically, almost as if it were a habit. I cleared my throat, "My hand hurts, though." I raised my right hand to inspect it, astonishment and fear rising in me when I did. Blood covered my hands, bits of what appeared to be glass sticking out of my knuckles. "W-what-" My voice caught in my throat and I felt as though I had been punched in the stomach as I took in the state of my room.

My mirror was broken, the glass cracked and shards were spread around the floor in front of it. Blood was splattered on the mirror, thin streams of the crimson liquid running down the glass, a trail of droplets on the floor. The droplets led from the mirror over to my nightstand. The photos that had been sitting atop the white nightstand were on the floor, the glass from the frames shattered. A large blood stain was smeared across the middle of the surface. The lamp, which had been on the table next to the photos, was lying on its side on the floor, the lamp shade a few inches away from it. Another trail went from the nightstand to my dresser. My sewing machine that had once rested on top of the dresser had been thrown across the room, where it hit the wall and fell to the floor. A bloody hand print stained the white plastic. The impact with the wall seemed to have broken the plastic open, several of the metal mechanisms from inside littered the floor around it. The box that was my sewing kit was lying open on its side next to the dresser, spools of thread, pin cushions, pins and needles spilling out. The last trail of blood in the room led from the dresser to me.

My throat felt as like it was closing up. My left hand flew up to cover my mouth. I was horrified because I realized that I was the one who had caused the destruction. "What—what happened? What did I do...?" My voice cracked and my sight went blurry with tears as I finally turned to my brother, "What's wrong with me?"

William sighed and held me close again, stroking my hair. "There's nothing wrong with you, Charlotte. I don't remember this ever happening with mother, though. Whatever this is, you got it from our father." he pulled back long enough to look into my eyes, "I assure you that there's nothing wrong with you."

I sniffled, biting my lip. I felt so helpless, so scared, so...alone and vulnerable. Even my brother, who usually understood almost everything about me, didn't, couldn't know how I felt now. He didn't hear voices, he wasn't mad. I fisted my hands in my brother's shirt. "I hate you..." I croaked.

William was silent and continued to stroke my hair, knowing that I wasn't talking about him.

"I hate you! You're not even here and you're still ruining my life! Was it not enough that you made mom miserable and cursed me with your skin?! You had to give me your madness, too?!" I shouted at the ceiling before burying my face in my Williams shirt. I couldn't help it, I was felt so overwhelmed with everything that had happened to me recently. I broke down into sobs, unable to stop it. "Why can't you just leave me alone?" I whispered, hopelessness consuming me.

**.:Line Break:.**

That night, it began to rain, the water pounding against the ground and our house. Lightening lit up the dark night sky and thunder shook our home. To me, it was almost as if the sky could sense my confusion, sadness, and anger and was reflecting it with the weather.

My brother and I didn't say another word to each other the rest of the night, both of us frightened and confused. Instead, we comforted each other with our presence. We ended up falling asleep on the couch that night, wrapped up in a blanket together to fend off the cold and protect us from the harsh reality of our lives.

**.:Line Break:.**

The next morning, I woke up to find my brother setting down a box filled with half a dozen donuts on the coffee table in front of the couch, along with two cups of tea. He sat down next to me, smiling as he held his drink.

"Good morning, Charlotte. Did you sleep well?"

I yawned and rubbed my eye with my now bandaged right hand. William had removed the glass shards with tweezers and wrapped my hand up the night before. A twinge of pain ran through my arm as my hand made contact with my face, causing me to wince. I tried to hide it by reaching for one of the chocolate donuts.

"I slept okay, I guess. I didn't have another dream, anyway." I replied, biting into my donut. I looked at my brother curiously, swallowing my food. "Aren't you going to eat, too?"

"Ah, no. I already ate. I bought a muffin at the restaurant and ate there."

I looked back at the box of donuts and my cup of tea, continuing to eat. "Hmm." was the only sound I made to let him know I heard him.

William watched me finish off my breakfast and reach for my tea. I held the warm cup with both hands, staring blankly at its contents.

"Are you upset that Freakazoid and Dexter didn't show up last night?" he asked, breaking the silence.

I heaved a sigh, then took a sip of my drink. "I guess I am. Though I can't figure out why it hurts so much."

"I think it's good that you're becoming attached to people in such a way again."

I stared at him, my tired mind not fully processing his sentence. "What the hell are you talking about? What way?"

He shook his head, a small smile on his face, "So, you haven't realized it yet, have you, sister?"

"Will, I just woke up and my mind isn't fully functioning yet. If you want to tell me something, stop speaking in riddles and tell me whatever the hell it is you want to tell me."

Instead of telling me what he meant, he just went back to sipping his tea, a knowing look on his face. "You can't see it?" he asked cryptically, "Then I guess I'm the only one who can."

I felt my eye twitch. _"Smug little bastard. Messing with me when I'm still half asleep. Jerk."_ "So how's Sam?" I asked nonchalantly, smirking behind my tea cup as he flinched. "I know you've been going to see her all week to work on your algebra."

"S-Sam's doing well. Her parents are most kind and Jake is helping us study." he replied, a hint of nervousness in his voice. His forest green eyes seemed to be looking anywhere, but my face.

"You like her." It wasn't a question, but a statement. It was this comment that caused him to choke on his tea. I patted his back to help his coughing fit.

"W-what?" he asked hoarsely.

I smirked, "You heard me. I saw how you acted when you met her. You like Sam."

He gaped at me for a few minutes, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. I almost laughed at how ridiculous he looked. Finally, he turned away from me, arms crossed over his chest. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I could only chuckle at how childish my normally mature brother sounded. "Uh, huh. Sure you don't. Love truly is blind."

"I could say the same to you, sister." he mumbled.

I was tempted to ask him what he meant by that, but didn't. I knew that he either wouldn't answer me or start speaking in riddles again. Neither of which would get me very far. Instead I shrugged and we ate the rest of our breakfast in silence. In the back of my mind, I tried to figure out what William had said.

**.:Line Break:.**

And that's chapter 23! Okay, so what Charlotte hears with Madness is what I imagined the Mad Hatter would hear when he had his fits. Charlotte's "episodes" are escalating and that combined with how conflicted and hurt I'm making her feel, I feel like I'm torturing her... Her nightmares are going to get worse, too. I'm terrible...I don't own the song _Teenagers_ by _My Chemical Romance_, I thought that it would be fitting, given Charlotte's past experiences. Sorry that this one is kind of short, I'll try to make the next one longer. Review please!


	24. Unexpected Changes

I'm back! Again. For the hundredth time. Sorry, but school has started up again and I am exhausted.

**Nathalorial: **Yeah, I had time to update so often because it was summer. Now that school has started again it might not be so easy. You're right! I did have a reason why Dexter and Freakazoid weren't in the last chapter and you'll get a glimpse in this chapter of why. Kind of... I'll be getting a Skype soon for when I go away to college! Thank you for all your supportive reviews!

**haccat: **I thought the song went well, too. I feel so bad for Charlotte, I keep torturing her and I'm still not done yet. I noticed that I always end up making my OCs have terrible pasts and things like that. I'm so mean...

**Spider's Claw: **I'm glad that you like the story. It's not that great, as I'm still improving, but it makes me happy to see so many people enjoying it! A reveal of a kind is coming up soon, but that's all I can say for now.

**Warning: **Foul language and graphic scenes.

**Disclaimer: **...I think we've already established that I don't own _Freakazoid_.

**.:Line Break:.**

Before I knew it, night had fallen and I found myself patrolling the streets as Darkness. The entire day I had been wandering around in a daze, I couldn't even remember most of the day.

_"I can't believe Dexter wasn't home today. His mother said that he rarely leaves his room, especially on the weekend. Where did he go?" _I thought, puzzled, _"Not only that, but I didn't see Freakazoid anywhere, either. I hope he's okay. I haven't seen him since the other day in the amusement park."_

I finished my examination of the city and was just about to head back home when something caught my eye. Smoke. A big, bellowing pillar of black smoke rose from the museum.

"Fire." I whispered, eyes wide with horror. Almost automatically, I took off towards the museum. _"I hope no one got caught in there."_

The fire wasn't any better close up. It took me a few minutes to get there and in that time, the fire had rapidly spread.

"**Help!**"

I had to strain my ears to hear the weak female voice from inside over the roaring flames, but I heard it and I knew I had to help.

I charged in, the thought of calling my brother not even crossing my mind. I coughed violently, eyes stinging with tears as a burst of black smoke hit me in the face after opening the door. The heat was intense and it seemed like the fire was everywhere. Bits of the ceiling were starting to fall and a few of the white pillars that had been inside the building had fallen over.

"H-hello? Is anyone here?!" I coughed out.

"Over here! A pillar fell on me! I can't get up!"

I blindly raced over to the voice, ignoring the flames as they licked at my skin and clothes. _"Good thing my costume is flame resistant." _I thought absently.

Finally making my way over to the fallen pillar, I gasped when I saw who had been calling me, causing me to cough more as I inhaled more smoke. "C-Cobra Queen?!"

Cobra Queen was crushed under a fallen pillar lying on her stomach, a brown cloth bag a few inches in front of her. Two small streams of what appeared to be blood trickled from the corners of her mouth. She stared up at me, looking as shocked as I felt.

"So, Darkness, we m-meet again."

I knelt next to her, inspecting any other damage. Aside from a few minor burns and the fact that she probably had broken ribs and internal bleeding, she appeared to be fine. Well, as fine as one could be while being crushed.

"Can you move your legs?" I asked her.

"W-what?"

"We don't have time to dilly-dally! Just answer the damn question."

Cobra Queen paused, as though thinking. "I-I think so."

I nodded and stood, placing my hands under the pillar. "I'm gonna lift this. When I do, I need you to move out from under it, okay?"

"Alright."

Taking a deep breath, I counted to three and slowly began lifting the pillar. _"Damnit, this thing is heavy!"_ True, I did seem to get stronger with each passing day, but the pillar felt like it weighed a ton!

As soon as the pillar was high enough off Cobra Queen's body, she crawled out from underneath it. She attempted to stand, but nearly fell over in the process. I dropped the pillar and rushed to her side when she started to wobble. I put her arm over my shoulder and placed my hand on the top of her hip, making her lean on me. Cobra Queen gazed at me questioningly as I bent over to grab the brown cloth bag.

"Come on, we have to get out of here before this place c-collapses and kills us." As if to prove my point, a large chunk of the ceiling fell in front of us.

We traveled to the exit as fast as we could, flames roaring around us, lashing out at us, burning us and making us sweat. As we finally made it out the door, we both filled our lungs with fresh air. Hearing sirens in the distance, I led Cobra Queen to a dark ally across the street. I set her down on an empty wooden crate.

"What are you doing? The police are coming, why are we here?" she asked.

"You won't last very long in prison with your injuries. You should lay low for awhile and rest. I'd prefer that you give up crime all together, but I don't see that happening any time soon."

She stared at me in disbelief. "But...but I stole!"

"Stole? It looked to me like you were saving..." I paused to open the cloth bag, "... the Diamond Hat of the Czars from being destroyed by the fire." I dropped the bag by the crate. I then knelt down in front of Cobra Queen. "I think you may have taken some damage to your internal organs. I'm just going to check, so tell me if something hurts." Without waiting for a response, I began poking and prodding her stomach, searching for injuries.

"Why did you save me?"

I stared at her, my expression clearly asking if she was high. "I helped you because you needed help. Do I really need a reason to save someone's life?"

"I suppose not, but with me gone there would be one less criminal for you to deal with."

I snorted, "Just because you're a criminal doesn't mean you deserve to die. It's not my job to decide who should live and who shouldn't, and I can't just turn a blind eye to those who are reaching out for help. Besides, I have a belief, a belief that compels me to help people without discrimination."

Cobra Queen winced and sucked in a sharp breath as I poked a particularly tender area on her stomach. "That hurt."

"Sorry."

"What's this belief of yours? I find it hard to believe that you would save anyone, friend or foe, if they were on the wrong side of the law. You seem more like the kind of person who wouldn't tolerate criminals at all." She scrutinized my every move as she spoke, as if she expected me to suddenly attack her.

I regarded her for a moment, than went back to my work, a wry smile playing at my lips. "You might not believe it, but I wasn't always a good person. I did bad things and it seemed like even though I was the one being punished, the people dear to me were the ones paying the price. One day, I met someone who slowly changed the way I viewed the world. He told me that it wasn't too late for me to change, that I didn't have to be the way I was. Before I knew it, I had completely turned my life around and accomplished things that I was truly proud of. It was then that I realized that I was truly happy, for the first time in a long time." I shook my head and sighed, mentally scolding myself for revealing so much to someone who nearly killed me. "Anyway, I believe that anyone can change if they really want to. I believe in second chances."

Cobra Queen remained silent as I finished my examination. I stood, picking up the bag as I did so. "I won't tell the cops you were here, because you technically didn't steal anything, but you should get out of here and rest."

She opened her mouth, about to respond, when another voice interrupted her.

"Who are you?"

We peered deeper into the dark ally to discover a large, blue skinned man who was dressed like a caveman.

_"How weird that a guy looks like a caveman has the stereotypical accent of a rich snob." _I crossed my arms over my chest, examining the strange man. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that you should introduce yourself before asking someone else's name, especially a lady's?"

He gave a bow, reminding me of an old British gentleman. "How rude of me, I apologize. My name is Caveguy. Now, I must insist that you tell me yours."

_"Caveguy? An intelligent man named himself Caveguy? What is __**wrong**__ with the people here?" _I thought, eyebrows raised. I regarded him with suspicion for a few minutes longer, unsure of what I should think of him. "...Darkness. My name is Darkness."

"She's a new superhero in Washington." Cobra Queen explained.

"Superhero?!" Caveguy seemed to be outraged by this, telling me that he was a criminal too. "Well, then? What are you going to do?"

"Me? I'm going to turn this over to the police when they arrive." I told him, holding up the bag, "You two, as far as I'm concerned, were never here."

"What? Why?" he asked, shocked by my words.

I sighed, exasperated, and rubbed the bridge of my nose. I hated repeating my self. "I'm not explaining this again. Since you two obviously know each other, you see to it that Cobra Queen gets medical attention. If she wants to tell you what happened, she can do it. Besides, I'd say that being crushed and stuck in a fire is enough punishment for one day, don't you think?"

He didn't say anything, choosing instead to cautiously make his way over to Cobra Queen. He picked her up as a husband would his bride, concern for her flashing in his eyes as he gazed upon her battered and weary body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a small smile, as though silently telling him not to worry.

_"They love each other..." _The realization came to me silently as I watched the scenebefore me unfold. It was odd to me, the very idea. Never before had I ever thought that even criminals, even people who are perceived to be bad by society, can find real, true love. I had always thought that people who were bad, who had sinned and committed wrong doings could never find love and would die alone and lonely, yet there was a contradiction to my theory right in front of me, practically slapping me in the face. It gave me a little bit of hope. It made me dare to hope that maybe one day I, even after all I've done, could find love too. That maybe one day I could truly be...happy.

There was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, something telling me that this was familiar, but I ignored it.

Finally, Caveguy looked at me, sincerity in his eyes, "Thank you."

I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. For what reason, I did not know. "...You're welcome."

Caveguy walked back into the ally, throwing one last look at me over his shoulder, before the two disappeared into the darkness. I found myself lingering in the ally as I thought about all that had happened. It was only when the first firetruck showed up that my body actually moved. I glanced at the ally once more and walked over to the museum to await the arrival of the police.

**.:Line Break:.**

By the time all of the police showed up, the fire department had long since put out the flames. I was sitting on the museum steps, head in my hands, thinking about how my skin stung when Cosgrove walked up to me.

"So, you're Darkness?" Cosgrove had spoken, but when I looked up I saw Roddy standing next to him.

"Yes, sir." I replied as I stood, pretending not to know either of them. "May I ask who you are?"

"Cosgrove, and this," he gestured to Roddy, "is Roddy MacStew."

"Just call me Roddy, lass." he said, holding out his hand for me to shake.

I took his hand in mine and shook, unable to hide a wince as the movement aggravated my burns. "It's nice to meet you gentlemen."

"So, what exactly happened here?" the officer asked.

I looked towards the museum, both men following my eyes. "Not entirely sure. I was out patrolling the city. At the time, I really didn't see anything out of the ordinary, so I was about to head home. Then I saw smoke coming from the museum and rushed over to make sure no one was hurt. When I got inside, I looked around, but no one was there." I stood as I spoke, the burns on my arms crying in protest. I picked up the brown cloth bag and tossed it to Cosgrove, who caught it with ease. "I did, however, find this."

Cosgrove opened it, Roddy looking over his shoulder in shock. "It's the Diamond Hat of the Czars!" Roddy gasped.

"Why did you put it in this brown bag?"

I shrugged at his question. "It was in the bag when I got here. Way I see it, someone was trying to either save it or steal it. Regardless, because of them I was able to keep it from being destroyed in the fire."

Cosgrove looked me up and down, taking in the burns on my arms and my blood shot eyes. The old cop rested his hand on my shoulder, "You look pretty beat up, kid. I think you should go to the hospital and get those burns looked at."

I wrinkled my nose at the idea. I hated hospitals. I waved off his offer, "I'm fine. Don't worry." I might have sounded convincing if it weren't for the fact that pain was showing on my face.

"Lass, I think you should let us take you there."  
I shook my head stubbornly, "No, really. I'm fine."

Suddenly, Cosgrove pointed at me, a stern expression on his face. "HEY!" For some reason, my attention was instantly drawn to him. "Cut it out."

"Yes, sir." I said, shocking myself, "I'll go to the hospital with you."

The older man nodded, satisfied with my cooperation. "Good."

Roddy and Cosgrove led the way to the police car. I, surprisingly, followed them from behind. Cosgrove got in and Roddy entered on the passenger side. I found myself lingering as I stared at the backseat.

Memories of my gang days flashed in front of my eyes. The police trying to beat me up to put me in handcuffs, being forced into police cars, watching my friends, my sisters, being forced into police cars. It was all my fault. Our resistance only served to cause the police to be cruel and merciless. Many of the girls I considered to be family were injured by the time they were actually put in the cars. I could clearly remember the broken bones, the blood, and the shrieks of pain. It was all my fault.

_"Perhaps they should take me to jail instead. I deserve to be there."_

"Hey, Darkness?"

The sound of Cosgrove's voice broke through my haze of memories and made me open my eyes. _"When had I closed them?"_ I found myself wondering. Nevertheless, I turned to acknowledge Cosgrove, who sounded mildly concerned.

"Kid, are you okay?"

I put a blank expression on my face and nodded, "I'm alright. Just tired is all." I opened the car door and got in the backseat, buckling myself in before more could be said.

Roddy just shrugged at Cosgrove when he looked at the Scotsman, as though asking him something silently. The officer shrugged in return, then drove off.

**.:Line Break:.**

The ride was quiet, as I expected. Even as Charlotte didn't know the two very well, and these guys only just met Darkness.

_"I should stop thinking of myself as two different people."_ I stared out the window, watching things as we passed by. _"This is the first time I've rode in a police car and not been under arrest."_ I thought absently, _"I almost feel as if... I don't belong here, as a good guy."_

**.:Line Break:.**

When we got to the hospital, the doctors were quick to get me medical attention. We were taken to a private room in a quieter section of the hospital. I sat anxiously on the bed, eyes darting around nervously.

"Hey, kid. Relax. Do you not like hospitals."

"No. That's not it."

It's not that I didn't like hospitals. It's just that they freak me the hell out. I glanced around the room. White walls, white floors, white curtains, white beds, white everything! The whole place always smells like cleaning products and disinfectant. Whenever I was in a hospital it always made me think of insane asylums, and that was where my fear was.

When I was younger I had seen all kinds of documentaries on old asylums, and they were terrible. Needless to say, its not a place I want to go to anytime soon, even though I knew that they aren't run the way they used to be today. The fact that I had been hearing voices in my head recently only fueled my... dislike of hospitals and asylums. In other words, I _**really **_didn't want to be here.

I was contemplating how easy it would be for me to make an escape out of the nearest window when the doctor walked in.

"Hello Darkness." he greeted in a friendly tone, "What seems to be the problem?"

I was reluctant to tell him anything until Roddy rested his hand on my shoulder. "Relax, lass. This is Dr. Accera, the man who treats Freakazoid. You're in good hands."

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell them that I was fine, but by that time the doctor caught sight of my burns. "Oh, dear." he muttered, walking over to me.

"She was in a burning building for awhile." Cosgrove explained.

Dr. Accera examined my arms, poking and prodding. "They appear to be minor burns, nothing to worry about." He then placed his stethoscope on my chest. "Take a deep breath."

I did as I was told, breathing with ease.

"Any headaches or anything else since you got out of the building?" he asked, removing his stethoscope.

"No. Nothing at all. Is that bad?"

"No, in fact that's great." he told me, "The only damage you seem to have sustained are the burns. They should heal on their own with no scaring or lasting marks."

"Lovely." I muttered sarcastically. I could just imagine walking around school with burns on my arms, bumping into people and aggravating the injuries. _"I'll have to wear a long sleeve shirt tomorrow. Don't want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself."_

"I was surprised when you brought her in." he said to Cosgrove, "I was expecting Freakazoid again."

A thought struck me as the blue boy was brought up. "Hey, where is Freakazoid anyway? Doesn't he normally arrive with you, Cosgrove?"

Roddy and Cosgrove stared at me incrediously.

"Ye mean that he wasn't with you during the fire?"

"Did it _**look **_like he was?" I snapped, a little annoyed that no one knew where he was, "Why did you think he was there?"

"We thought that the kid might have just gone home early because he was still down about Steff." Cosgrove said.

I shook my head, "No. He never showed up at all. That's not like him."

"Maybe the lad just didn't know about the fire."

"Maybe..." I was doubtful. Freakazoid always patrolled the city at night. He'd never miss something like that fire.

"I'm sure that he'll show up at the next crime scene." Dr. Accera added.

I nodded and stood from the bed. "I need to get home now." I told them, "Thank you, all of you, for everything you've done for me." Without waiting for any response, I hung my head and trudged out of the hospital.

**.:Line Break:. (warning: The violence in the scene may be a little graphic.)**

_Darkness surrounded Charlotte once again, only she couldn't move her arms this time. Looking down at herself she realized that she was in a straight jacket. She began struggling when suddenly she was blinded by a bright light._

_ The area around her changed. White padded walls and a white padded floor appeared in the scene and the smell of cleaning chemicals filled her nose, making her nostrils burn. In the doorway of her room stood William, Dexter, and Freakazoid._

_"Sorry Charlotte." Dexter said in a monotone voice, like he didn't mean the words that came out of his mouth._

_ "It's for your own good, sister."_

_ "Good-bye, Charlotte."_

_ The three turned to leave and she opened her mouth to try to call out to them, but was met with pain and the taste of blood. A metal blade had been tied around her head that would cut into her skin if she tried to speak. The door swung shut as she tried to call out to them again, more pain filling her body. She hung her head, shutting her eyes in despair. Then, for some strange reason, she felt something crawling on her._

_ Her eyes snapped open and instantly grew to the size of dinner plates. Thousands of crimson centipedes had invaded the room, swiftly crawling towards Charlotte. Many of the insects were already making their way up her legs, both on top of and underneath her jeans. She struggled furiously, muffled sounds of pain and fear escaping her._

_ "I wouldn't wiggle around so much if I were you. Those centipedes are poisonous. One bite could kill you."_

_ Charlotte lifted her head to find out where the malicious female voice had come from, but she only saw more of the foul insects._

_ "You're so ugly." the voice continued, seeming to take delight in Charlotte's suffering, "It's hard to believe that you're __**his**__ daughter. Then again, you also have that monster's blood running through your veins, so I suppose it's only natural."_

_ A whimper left Charlotte's throat as the centipedes crawled higher and higher._

_ "Oh, shut up!' the female voice seemed to laugh, "Don't worry, your suffering misery will end soon. After all, it's rather difficult to feel pain when you're dead."_

_ The female voice faded away and all of a sudden, unbearable pain spread through Charlotte's body like wildfire._

_ Her chest had a fist sized hole in it, blood from the wound soaking through her white straight jacket. Her eyes seemed to roll back into her head and she fell backwards. Her chest rose and fell a few more times before it finally came to a halt, centipedes continuing to crawl over her lifeless body. Everything around her faded to black as Charlotte laid in a pool of her own blood, motionless._

**.:Line Break:.**

I shot up in bed, a scream escaping my lips as I was dragged back to reality. Sweat and tears covered my face, my damp bangs matted to my forehead. I panted, trying to suck in some air. It felt as though I had been holding my breath for an extended period of time while doing strenuous exercise.

My hands flew to my mouth and chest, ignoring the pain that flared from my burns while I searched for the crimson liquid from my dream. Finding none, I hopped out of bed and began tearing off the bedsheets, frantically searching for any "unwanted guests".

Just then, my door slammed open, my brother standing in the doorway. He looked as panicked as I felt. "Sister, what's wrong?" he asked, rushing over to me.

"Nothing, Will. Just a nightmare." I replied distractedly, shaking my sheets to make sure no insects were stuck to them.

William took the sheets from my hands and threw them back on my bed. He held my bandaged right hand in one of his own and my cheek in the other, staring deeply into my eyes to discern how I truly felt.

"Whatever your nightmare was about, I can see that it has you pretty shaken up. Your eyes are a hot pink."

_"Pink, fear."_

I brushed his hands away, irritated by him and my color changing irises. "Don't do that. You know very well that I hate being a living mood ring."

"What was it about, Charlotte? What happened?" he asked, ignoring my comment.

I sighed and began fiddling with the key necklace that my mother had given me. I didn't want to tell him, to burden him with my problems. Of the two of us, William had the best chance of living a normal life and he shouldn't have to put up with my issues. However, as I gazed into his eyes and saw the concern swirling in his green irises, I knew that he wouldn't let this matter drop, not this time.

Finally, I gave in, flopping down on my bed, patting the space next to me. He sat down and, in a comforting gesture, put his arm around my shoulder, holding me close to him.

I was silent for a few minutes, gathering my scattered thoughts. Then I told him. Everything. The voices, the dream, and anything else that was strange that began happening when we got to Washington. I could feel tears roll down my face as I spoke, my voice occasionally cracking. I probably would never admit it, but it all scared me more than anything.

William, ever the understanding and loving little brother, whispered comforting words to me as he pulled me into a hug. He stroked my hair and rubbed my back. "That would never happened." he stated firmly, "We would never put you in an insane asylum."

"I know." I croaked, trying to wiped away my tears. _"Why have I been crying so much lately? Seriously, when did I become such a girl?"_

"Besides, you're far too stubborn to die."

I chuckled weakly, feeling grateful that I had such a wonderful brother as I wrapped my arms around him. After awhile, I pulled away, a meek smile on my face.

"Will you be okay?" William asked in a worried tone, holding me by my shoulders.

"I'm fine. Go back to sleep." I assured him.

His eyes rested on me for a moment longer. Then he pressed a kiss to my forehead and left.

I sighed when I was sure that he was back in his room. I ran a hand through my hair and stood from my bed. Leaving my room, I went to the bathroom and turned on the sink's cold water. I splashed my face a few times before I turned the water off and dried my skin. I paused to look in the mirror. My eyes faded from the hot pink they had been to a light pink.

_**/ "You're so ugly. It's hard to believe that you're **__his __**daughter." /**_

__"What the hell did she mean by that?" I asked my reflection. Of course I received no response, so I left the bathroom.

I stared at my room through the open door, then looked at the closed door to my brother's bedroom. I knew that I wouldn't go back to sleep by myself tonight, but I wasn't willing to disturb William. I had already put him through so much in our lives and I wouldn't burden him more than necessary, even though I knew that he wouldn't mind, nor would he see it as a burden. Reluctantly, I went back to my room, sleep evading me as I waited for my alarm to go off.

**.:Line Break:.**

The next morning went by as it usually did, neither of us discussing the nightmare. We ate breakfast, got dressed, brushed our teeth, then left for Dexter's.

"Sorry, kids." Mrs. Douglas said when we entered the Douglas household, "You just missed Dexter."

I gaped, shocked by my best friend's behavior. "What? Why?"

"I'm not sure." she said, sounding a little worried, "He just got his backpack and left without a word. I'm sure you'll catch up with him today, though." That said, she walked out of the room.

I continued to gape, unable to believe what I just heard. _"Why would Dexter leave on his own? It's just not like him."_

Duncan, who had been standing in the room the whole time, began laughing at us. "You got stood up by a nerd!"

My right eye twitched and before he could even blink, I punched Duncan in the face. He fell on his back from the force, holding his face in pain and complaining.

"Sister, don't you think that was kind of mean?"

"What do you think?"

"...No?"

"Very good. You learn."

"That hurt!"

I promptly kicked him where I knew it would hurt a boy most, making him whimper. "Oh, shut up!"

**.:Line Break:.**

School wasn't much better. All morning, all the classes I had with Dexter, he wouldn't talk to me. He wouldn't even look at me! Right before gym class, he handed the teacher a note that allowed him to skip gym for a week, letting him spend his time in the school library.

"That cheeky little bastard! What the hell is he trying to pull?" I growled to Sam as I threw my gym clothes in my locker.

Sam blinked at me, mildly surprised by my behavior. "Wow, you're really upset about this." was all she said.

"I'm not upset, I'm livid! First he doesn't come to my show like he said he would, then he doesn't even contact me to tell me why he wasn't there, and now he's ignoring me! I hate being ignored!"

"I can tell." Sam said with a wry smile.

"GET OUT, JILL!"

Sam and I peeked out of our locker bay to see Jill being kicked out of the one she shared with Steff and Valerie. She looked heartbroken and utterly betrayed.

"Wow, I wonder what happened?"

"I'm not sure," I said, momentarily forgetting my anger, "But Jill looks hurt by the other two."

"I can't believe you, Jill!" Steff yelled, "I never want to see your face again! Leave!"

Jill hung her head, taking the verbal abuse, a sight that many of the girls, including myself, found unnerving. Dejected, She turned away from the locker bay and dragged her feet towards the small office for the female gym teachers.

"Char, what should we do?"

I thought for a moment as I watched the sad scene unfold. I then glanced at Sam, "Would you mind helping an ex-enemy?"

Sam grinned at me, "They say that you're the most ruthless girl in school, but inside you're just a big teddy bear, aren't you?"

I felt my face flush. Embarrassed, I looked away. "Yeah...well... Just don't go spreading it around. I've got a reputation to keep and if people knew I was nice they wouldn't take me seriously."

We stared at Jill as she started talking toMrs. Robins, the gym teacher, to move her locker.

"Well, Jill, where should I put you?"

Jill only stared at the floor, unable to answer. After all, her only friends had cast her out. Where else was she supposed to go.

"You can put her in our locker bay, Mrs. Robins." I volunteered, standing behind a shocked Jill.

Mrs. Robins smiled as she made the changes in her book. "Thank you, Charlotte. That's very kind of you."

"It's no problem. Glad I could help."

Soon Jill was moved out of Steff's locker bay and into ours. Her locker was on the opposite side of our lockers. The three of us stared at each other. Sam and I at Jill, and Jill back at us.

Finally, she turned her head to the side, a deep scowl on her face. "I bet you find this funny, don't you? I've been causing you trouble since the day we met and now I've been kicked out of my group by my only friends. You must be enjoying this."

"Not really." I said simply.

"Should we find it funny?" Sam asked.

"No. Only sick, twisted person would find this funny."

Jill only stared at us, as though she didn't believe what she was hearing. "Why did you do that?" Jill asked.

"Do I really need a reason to help someone?"

"But you hate me." she pointed out.

"True, but I hate Steff and Valerie more and you needed help. I'm not so cold-hearted that I would turn a blind eye to someone who needs help."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you knew why they kicked me out." she said, crossing her arms.

"Okay, then. Why did they kick you out?" Sam asked.

Jill dropped her glare to the floor. "You know who Jason Summer is?"

I made a gagging noise, confirming that I did, in fact, know him.

"I asked him out today, but he turned me down. He said that he liked Steff." she sighed, running a hand through her short hair, "I told Steff and she got really upset. Apparently, she likes Jason, even though she never said anything to me, and accused me of trying to take him from her."

"Is that all?" I asked, an eyebrow arched.

She nodded, "Now do you see?"

"Well that's... pretty fucking stupid. How were you supposed to know if she didn't tell you? And why would I be upset over that?" I asked.

"Aren't you worried that I'll steal any guys you like from you?" Jill asked, shocked and clearly still upset over what Steff had done to her.

"Trust me, you and I have completely different tastes in guys." I began, "And besides, most relationships don't last long anyway."

Sam and Jill stared at me as I gathered my books in silence. At that moment, the first bell rang and girls began exiting the locker room.

"You should hurry up and get changed. You don't want to be late to your next class." I told her. I then spun on my heel and walked towards the exit, Sam following me from behind.

"Did you really mean that, Charlotte?"

"Of course. You know I hate Steff and Valerie." I said, purposely dodging the question I knew she was asking.

"No, not that! That thing you said about relationships." she clarified.

"I did. Let's just say that I have experience with bad relationships."

"What happened?"

I halted, memories flashing before my eyes.

_**/ "You lied to me! You said you'd love me no matter what!"**_

___"You actually believed me? You're even stupider and more naïve than I first thought. Crushes always hurt and love always ends in heartbreak. You'd be an idiot to believe otherwise."_

_**"I can't believe this! I trusted you!"**_

___"And in doing so, you gave me the power to control and destroy you. Love is a weakness that only serves to get in the way and it should be ignored. There are three things I know that are absolutely true about life: love is useless, there are no such things as 'happy endings', and no one in this life or any other could ever love you."__** /**_

__"Charlotte?"

The memory seemed to dissolve as Sam's concerned voice reached my ears. I shook my head, ridding my myself of the memory fragments.

"Long story short, it ended badly. But it made me realize that there's no such thing as love."  
"...You're wrong."

The fierceness in Sam's voice caused me to do a double take. There was a passionate fire burning in her eyes and I could tell that I was about to get a lecture.

"Just because you were treated badly in one relationship doesn't mean that it's always like that! Love, real love, is a beautiful and wonderful thing. Real love is when two lovers share everything with each other. They rely on each other and lend one another their strength. They understand and respect one another and stand by their side no matter what. And once you have that relationship, once you have that one special person it will all be worth it and you'll never want to let them go."

I blinked at my friend in surprise, shocked by her words.

She grinned and crossed her arms in a slightly smug manner. "See? Everything about me is awesome, even my advice."

I found myself grinning and a chuckle escaped my lips. "Thanks Sam. That makes me feel... a little better."

Sam patted my back, "Glad I could help. Now let's get to class before the teacher marks us absent."

**.:Line Break:.**

At lunch, every one had gotten to the table early. Other than Dexter ignoring us all morning and the pain of my burns, which I was successfully able to hide all day, all was normal.

I was just about to take a bite of my food when I noticed everyone at the table glaring at something behind me.

"We have company, Charlotte." William said.

I was hoping it was Dexter, but I knew better. If it had been Dexter, they wouldn't have been glaring. That, and my luck was never that good.

I tilted my head back to allow me to see the person behind me, only for my eyes to meet Jills. She held a brown paper bag, holding herself in a way that showed how unsure of herself she really was.

I moved over and patted the seat next to me, smiling in what I hoped was a reassuring way. "Sit. Stay awhile." I joked.

The others at the table, minus Sam who knew the situation, gaped in disbelief. Jill sat down, shifting uncomfortably in her seat under the curious gazes of the others at the table. It was clear that she felt out of her element.

Coming to his senses, Justin was the first to speak, "Charlotte, what's going on?"

"The short version of this story is that Steff and Valerie are shallow, selfish bitches." I replied casually.

"Well the short version tells us nothing." Jake said, mildly irritated by my answer.

"Too bad, because that's all you need to know, unless Jill wants to tell you."

The others turned to the new occupant of the table, who leaned backwards in her seat in an attempt to escape the prying eyes.

"And if you keep bothering her about it, I'll hurt you."

This made them turn back to their food, acting as though nothing was wrong.

"So..." I began after a while, "Has anyone seen or talked to Dexter today?"

All around the table I received negative answers. I groaned, slamming my head on the table.

"Isn't that Dexter there, near the cafeteria doors?"

I looked to where Jake was pointing and discovered the boy that I had been chasing all day.

"Hey, Dexter!" I called out, but to no avail. He opened the door and left the room. I felt my eye twitch as I grit my teeth. "Why that little..."

Before anyone could stop me, I bolted for the door, determined to hunt Dexter down until he talked to me. I burst through the doors just in time to see him turn the corner of an empty hallway. I chased after him, quickly turning the corner, and grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

"Hey, I called out for you. Didn't you hear me?"

He didn't answer, he didn't even show any signs that he had actually heard me.

"You totally blew us off this morning, what's that about?"

More silence.

"Dex, seriously. You're starting to freak me out. You know that if something's wrong you can talk to me, right?"

Finally, he shrugged his shoulder, causing my hand to slip off. "I have no desire to talk to you." His tone was harsh, completely unlike the shy and kind Dexter I was used to. He sounded almost... malicious. "I also have no desire to even look at you. Get out of my sight."

Dexter's words hurt me deeply. I couldn't understand why he was saying these things. I also felt angry. I trusted him and was trying to help him and here he was saying things like this! The anger and pain warred within me. Anger won out.

In a fit of rage, I grabbed his shoulders and slammed him into the wall, my eyes slowly changing color. "What the hell is your problem?" I hissed through bared teeth.

His head was hung so I couldn't see his eyes, but a cruel smirk crept onto his face, scaring me. "Problem? There's no problem. In fact, I have everything figured out."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I've been thinking lately. Thinking about everything you've done, all the crimes you've committed, and made a few observations about you."

"Observations?" I parroted, "Dexter what are you talking about?"

"You're violent, have freakish, and sing like a banshee. You're plotting, manipulative, scheming, cynical, and you delight in causing others pain. You've done so many terrible things and spilt other peoples blood."

"When I was in the gang, Dexter, I _**never**_ killed a single person. Injured them and made them bleed, yes, but I never killed anyone. I made sure that the other girls didn't either. I don't believe in taking a life." I stated firmly.

I may not have liked other people at the time, and I may have hurt them, but I could never bring myself to kill anyone. I tried to explain it to him calmly, ignoring how much what he said hurt.

He laughed coldly, the chilling sound sending shivers up my spine. "But you seem to be getting closer and closer to that point, aren't you? You get a kick out of hurting people, having them fear you. It makes you feel powerful and you like that, don't you?"

"No! You're wrong!"

"People don't change. They're incapable of it. You're still insane and you still hurt the people you care about."

"NO! I've changed! I'm not crazy!" I shouted desperately. My heart ached and my stomach felt ice cold with dread. It felt like my worst nightmare was finally coming true.

"Oh? Then tell me, Charlotte, what are you doing right now?"

MY eyes widened and I trembled with horror as I realized that I had Dexter pinned to the wall like a common thug. My breathing became uneven as I released him from my grip. _"I...I can't believe I did that..."_

"Now do you see?" he asked, his voice startling me, "You say you've changed, but in the end you're incapable of doing so."

I could only stare at him, stunned. I couldn't believe what he said next.

"Once a monster, always a monster."

I clutched my chest, falling to my knees.

"Don't ever show your face to me again." Then, he walked away, disappearing around another corner.

It felt like my heart had been stabbed with a white hot knife, twisting ever so slowly as to cause me more pain. I had a hard time breathing, as if Dexter's words had knocked all of the air out of my lungs. I felt angry, sad, confused, scared, and most of all...alone. Emotions welled up inside me and tears gathered in my eyes. I tried to fight them the best I could, but it was a losing battle. I closed my eyes in a last ditch effort to stop them, but to no avail. Choked sobs emitted from my lips before I could stop them. I was in so much pain, much more than I could ever remember.

_"I wonder..."_ I thought hazily through my anguish, _"I wonder if he knew that what he said would hurt me the most."_

**.:Line Break:.**

Oh, my god! It's finally done! I made it really long so Dexter would be in this one and because I feel bad for not updating for so long. Reviews make me happy. Tell me what you think.


	25. Revelations

Hi! Sorry for my absence. School has been so crazy lately. It's like the teachers all decide to give a lot of work to you all on the same day. It sucks, seriously. Anyway, I know that many of you are confused by Dexter's behavior in the last chapter, but there is a reason for it. I swear he didn't just become a jerk over night. So...I noticed that I write a lot of angst, but, at times, I don't like reading it. Weird, huh?

**akira45: **I know! I'm so mean to my characters... The problem with Dexter will be addressed this chapter, though!

**TheRestIsRustAndStardust: **I'm glad someone was happy with the update, even if the chapter was sad. I'm also glad you found it suspenseful. I was aiming for that, but I don't think everyone appreciated being left on a cliffhanger...

**Alienatia: **What, indeed. Don't worry, you'll find out in this chapter.

**Nathalorial: **O_o *hides* Don't hurt me! Everything will turn out fine! Do you really think I'd go out of my way to make such a long fanfic if it didn't have a happy ending?

**haccat: **I smiled when I saw your review. And yes, Charlotte did start out as a good kid, even if she did beat up other kids (Only when they picked on Dexter). I don't really get the hotdog meat part, but I understand what you're getting at. I guess I kind of made that part a little obvious, huh?

**Warning: **As usual, violence and foul language.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned _Freakazoid_, it probably would have been a much weirder show.

**.:Line Break:.**

"Sister?"

My eyes snapped open and I instantly shot to my feet, sprinting for the school's exit.

"Sister, wait!"

I didn't stop, I couldn't let William see me the way I was. I ran instead, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I ran straight home, not stopping once along the way. I wouldn't let anyone see me the way I was, I couldn't.

I don't remember anything that happened after I set foot in the house. The moment I closed the door, everything went black.

**.:Line Break:.**

I woke up later to William shaking me, this time fear accompanied his worry. Once he noticed that I was awake, he regarded me carefully.

"Charlotte, is that you?"

"Who else would it be?" I returned, mildly irritated by my black outs. "I went on a rampage again, didn't I?" It was more a statement than a question. "What did I destroy now?"

"Take a look around."

I did and I noticed that the incident took place in the living room this time. The coffee table was on the floor with its legs in the air. Photos that once hung on the walls were now on the floor, shattered. The bookcase had been knocked over, the books haphazardly scattered all around the room. The floor lamp had been knocked over too, bulb fragments on the floor and in the lamp shade. The TV, luckily, was untouched, but the glass ornaments on the stand it sat on did not fare so well. The thing the threw me for a loop was the fact that the couch now stood on its side, looking as though it would fall at any minute.

"...The hell?!" I gaped at the damage. _"If this happened when I was around people..." _I shuddered at the thought.

"I'm afraid there's more bad news, sister." my brother informed me.

I was about to ask how things could get any worse, but my words died in my throat when I saw what my brother was holding. It was my guitar. While I lost control, it had been utterly destroyed. I took what was left of my beloved instrument from him and silently mourned for my loss.

"This guitar..." I croaked, "The girls and you bought it for me."

William knelt next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders, "It's alright, sister. We can buy a new guitar."

I held on tightly to my broken instrument. "You don't get it, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sure, we can replace the guitar, but we can't replace the sentimental value it held. And another thing, I may just be destroying objects now, but what happens when I cross that line, when I go beyond the point of no return?"

William looked a bit frightened. "I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at, Charlotte."

I glared at him through my tear misted eyes, shrugging his arm off me, "What happens when I start attacking people, William? What happens when I revert back to the way I was?"

"That won't happen! You've changed, you're not like that any more!" he reasoned, "You said it yourself, people can change!"

"Yeah? Well, maybe I was wrong. Maybe people don't change. Maybe everyone else can change except me!"

William appeared to be frantic by this point. "Sister, why are you acting like this? I don't understand."

**/"Sister, please, why are you doing this? I don't understand."/**

"You wouldn't understand, would you?"

**/**_"I'm doing this, William, because I'm a monster. I may as well act like one."_**/**

"You couldn't understand."

**/**_"Look at me! I'm a goddamn freak! Other people may be able to change, but I can't. You should just accept that. I already have."_**/**

"You'd never understand!" I shouted, shooting to my feet, effectively scaring my brother, "You'd never understand the pain I feel! You'd never understand what I have to deal with day in and day out! You'd never understand the things I have to put up with! You just don't understand!" I was panting, both from my anger and my outburst.

_"He'd never understand me." _I thought to myself, _"He's the one who's mostly normal. He's the one who's sane. He's the one who isn't burdened by his past. He's lucky."_

"You're right." he admitted, whispering as though any loud noise would set me off, "I don't understand, but that's why I need you to tell me. I need you to talk to me so I **can **understand. I'm always here for you, sister, to help you."

"I don't need any help from someone who doesn't understand anything!" I yelled, "Just leave me alone, William!" I stomped off to my room, leaving a hurt and confused William in my wake.

**.:Line Break:.**

That night, for patrol, I decided to take my motorcycle, the one that was specifically designed for patrol. It looked like my other one, except the flames on it were neon green.

Honestly, I was just speeding through town, no real direction or destination in mind. It reminded me of my gang days in a way. I'd get on my bike and ride through the streets at night to think and clear my head.

_"It's amazing how, in such a short time a person's world can be turned upside down and inside out." _I thought, gazing at the blurs of lights, buildings, and people as I sped by.

**"Help!"**

The scream caused me to stop my bile and turn towards the noise.

"Great." I said sarcastically with a roll of my eyes, "Whatever bad guy this is now is going to get hurt. Badly."

The scream had come from a tech store nearby. Inside the clerk was tied up by two large men. Going through the shelves was a short man with an abnormally large head.

I kicked open the door and marched inside. "Alright, drop your shit! You're all going to jail!"

The man I had seen earlier with what I thought was an abnormally large skull, actually had a brain for a head.

_"...Ew."_

The man moved away from the shelves with a glare. "Ah, you're Darkness."

I was surprised for a moment by the fact that he knew my name, but I made sure that it didn't show. "How do you know my name?"

"It's all over the news. That, and word has been going around among villains of new super heroes, one of which is a young girl." he said.

"Okay... And who the hell are you?"

He took a bow, a conniving grin on his face. "I am the Lobe. More importantly, where is Freakazoid?"

I looked off to the side. Normally, I would be offended that he thought Freakazoid was worth fighting more than I was, if I wasn't wondering the same thing myself. "Actually, I was wondering if you could tell me the answer to that question."

The grin on his face was replaced with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"He went missing sometime Saturday evening. No one's seen him since."

"Is this because his girlfriend broke up with him?" Lobe asked, strangely seeming to be mildly concerned.

"Does everyone know about that?"

"Of course. Steff was the perfect bait to lure Freakazoid. Now I'll have to find someone else."

Somehow, I wasn't surprised. "So, you don't know where he is?"

He shook his head, "No, I'm afraid not."

I sighed, then took my pole in hand. "Well, as nice as this chat has been, I have send you to jail now."

Lobe grinned again, "To send me to jail you'll have to defeat me first. You may be good, Darkness, but you're no Freakazoid."

I smirked. After the day I had, I needed a good fight. "Good thing I'm not. Washington needs at least one super hero with a brain."

"Get here!" Lobe shouted before turning back to the shelves.

His two henchmen abandoned the clerk and charged at me.

The first henchmen got hit square in the face with the end of my pole, followed by a hit to the back of his head. He fell to the floor, knocked out cold. The other attempted to punch me, only for me to deliver a swift kick to the face. A sickening snap was heard and when I removed my foot, I saw his nose bleeding. Not even giving him time to recover, I struck him in the back of the head, allowing him to fall to the floor like his friend.

The Lobe stared at me in horror, obviously not expecting me to be so violent. I grinned menacingly as I drew closer to him.

"Now do you understand?" I asked, taunting him, "I'm nothing like Freakazoid." As I towered over him, the only response I received was a scream of terror.

After knocking out the three idiots, I left them in the street for the police.

** .:Line Break:.**

The rest of the week I skipped school and patrolled the streets at night. Each night a different villain suffering my wrath.

Friday night was different, though. I walked along the sidewalk, spinning my pole as I went.

"Darkness."

I stopped in front of an ally way where I heard the voice. "Who's there?" I asked, still bitter about Monday. I was in no mood to deal with criminals, especially since all week Freakazoid was missing and hadn't shown up at all.

Walking out of the darkness of the ally way were Cobra Queen and Caveguy.

"If you're planning on doing something illegal tonight, I'd recommend against it. I'm in a bad mood and Freakazoid is-"

"Missing." Cobra Queen finished for me, "We know. Word has it that you've been asking criminals all week for his whereabouts."

I narrowed my eyes at them, "Yeah, so?"

"We heard a rumor that we think you'd be interested in." Caveguy said, "Some people are saying that they've been seeing a blue teen by the dock warehouses."

"And you think it may be Freakazoid?" I asked hopefully.

"That's correct."

I was happy at the thought that he may have been found. Then, remembering where the information came from, I became suspicious. "Wait a minute. Why are you-"

I turned back to the ally, only to find that the two criminals were no where to be found.

I stood there for a minute, thinking about what they said. I then left the ally and made my way to the warehouses by the docks.

**.:Line Break:.**

I had only been searching the docks for five minutes before hearing noises coming from one of the warehouses, warehouse 13. Walking up to it, I was surprised to find the door unlocked. I went inside the dimly lit warehouse, only to discover strange machines and a large screen on one of the walls.

"No, nothing odd going on here." I muttered to myself.

All of a sudden, the door slammed shut. I ran over to it and frantically tried opening it, but it was no use. The door was locked tight.

It was then that the giant screen turned on, revealing a man with an eye patch, laughing. I turned and glared at him.

"And who the hell are you supposed to be?" I growled.

"Ah, my apologies, Darkness. My name is Armando Guitierrez."

"Freakazoid's arch enemy." I thought aloud.

"So, you know of me then? Good, so you know what it is that I want."

"No, actually, I don't. Enlighten me." I snarled.

He laughed again, "The only thing I want is to make Freakazoid and everyone around him miserable. It won't be too difficult to make Freakazoid suffer since his girlfriend tossed him aside. Then I'll work on Dexter Douglas."

My eyes widened and fiery rage seared through my body, my irises burning red. "Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"I'll make them suffer until they wish to die. And the best way to break the two of them, is killing you. After all, they just care about you so much, don't they, Miss Charlotte Hightopp?"

"**How the **_**hell**_** do you know my name?!**"

I received no answer, he only laughed. "Come, laugh with me." was all he said before the screen went black.

It infuriated me that he would do that to Dexter and Freakazoid. They were my friends and I felt very protective of them. I felt like killing that man for what he said.

And that's when it hit me. The blushing, the strange feelings in my stomach, my protectiveness, the need to make them happy. I was in love. I was in love with him. And not just Dexter, but Freakazoid, too. I was in love with two guys. Two guys who were my best friends.

I blinked in shock, too stunned to do much else. "Well..." I said to no one in particular, "Fuck me, then."

The sound of a crate falling and breaking brought me out of my stupor, forcing me to push my crisis aside. Cautiously, I ventured in the direction of the sound and instantly I was met with another surprise.

There, standing before me was Freakazoid. I almost ran up and hugged him because I was so relieved to see him alive and well, But I noticed something rather disturbing.

Freakazoid was grinning, but it wasn't his usual idiotic, happy-go-lucky grin. No, it was dark and full of malice. His eyes weren't the normal onyx filled with kindness and joy. They were crimson and were brimming with madness and blood lust.

Startled, I stepped back. This wasn't Freakazoid. This wasn't _**my**_ Freakazoid. Freakazoid always smiled kindly at me. Freakazoid never gazed at anyone with malice in his eyes. Freakazoid never made me feel...terrified.

I could feel my eyes turn pink as I took another step back. Growling, Freakazoid moved towards me. "Freakazoid...snap out of it. Come on. It's me, Darkness, your partner, your _**friend**_, remember?"

Reasoning didn't seem to work as he continued to advance.

"Freakazoid, I don't know what Guitierrez did to you, but I'm your friend! I don't want to hurt you."

Apparently, that set him off because the next thing I knew Freakazoid lunged at me, punching me in the ribs. Having the wind knocked out of me, I collapsed, clutching my right side where I had been hit.

Unbelievable and excruciating pain seared through me and I felt several bones sticking out in ways I knew they shouldn't. It was then that I realized just how strong Freakazoid really was.

_"All this time he's been holding back. No wonder, with that kind of strength he'd probably kill a normal person. He's more aware of what he can do than I thought."_ I thought to myself as I struggled to get up. Rising to my feet, I winced, clutching my side still. _"I think he might have broken some ribs."_

"Freakazoid," I tried again, "Stop this. I won't fight you, I refuse to."

And again my words were met with violence. He hit me in the stomach twice, using super speed, causing me to fall. For a minute, I couldn't breathe. Coughing, I fought to get back on my feet. However, before I could manage to do that, he swept my feet out from under me. Pain shot through my left ankle where he hit me as I once again met the floor. It felt like my body was on fire, pulsing with pain. My ribs hurt, my insides hurt, and my left ankle hurt. I had never been in so much physical agony in all my life, but I forced myself to get back up. I knew that if I didn't I'd probably get messed up even worse.

I gripped my pole in both hands now, getting into a fighting stance. I coughed again and felt something wet trickle from the corner of my mouth. I wiped my mouth on my arm and was not surprised when I saw red on my paper whit skin.

_"Internal bleeding." _I thought, _"That bastard is hell bent on making Freakazoid kill me. When I get my hands on him, I'll make him rue the day he ever messed with Charlotte Hightopp!"_

Freakazoid stood still, probably waiting for me to speak again.

_"If I don't at least defend myself, I'll get killed."_

Swallowing the coppery taste of blood, I began to speak again. "Freakazoid, snap out of it already! Stop this before you do something you'll regret!"

Still, he didn't listen. Freakazoid charged at me and this time I raised my pole to defend myself. I swung as soon as he got close, but with a flash of light, he moved to my right side. A second later, he had my arm in his grasp, tightening his grip until a loud, sickening crack was heard. I cried out in pain, dropping my pole. Gritting my teeth, I swung my left fist at him, but it was useless. He disappeared to my left in a flash of light. Grabbing my left arm, he swung me around before throwing me into a pile of crates, destroying them in the process.

_"I can't feel my arm."_ I thought through the haze of pain, _"Did he dislocate it?"_

I was left no time to ponder this, as Freakazoid came over and pinned my body to the ground.

"Freakazoid," I coughed out, "Stop this. Don't let him control you."

He growled at me, pulling back his fist to strike. To be honest, I was scared for my life.

That's when I decided to take a gamble. _"If I don't I'll die anyway." _I made my white skin recede from the roots of my hair down the rest of my body, changing it back to normal.

"Freakazoid, stop! It's me, Charlotte!"

My vision started getting blurry, but I was able to see Freakazoid stop his punch, a confused look on his face.

"C-Charlotte?" he asked timidly.

I allowed myself to give a weak smile, coughing more. _"Finally, I got through to him..."_ I reached up with my broken arm, wincing at the pain, and cupped the side of his face. I was in so much pain, but I was so happy that he was himself again.

"Yeah, Freakazoid. It's me, it's always been me. I'm sorry for not telling you."

His eyes faded back to onyx and he finally seemed aware of himself again. Through my blurry vision, I saw his expression change from confused to panicked to horrified.

"W-what- I-! Charlotte! I-I... I'm so sorry! I didn't... I wouldn't... I'm so sorry!"

He began rambling and I couldn't help but laugh, he looked like he was about to cry. I realized that I _really_ had no reason to be laughing, seeing that I was in the condition I was in. I didn't know if it was because I was happy I found him, relieved that he was back to normal, or just plain mad. I was betting on a combination of the three.

"Charlotte, why are you laughing?! Don't tell me I hit you in the head! I'm so sorry!"

I laughed harder, coughing up some more blood. He was still on top of me. He hadn't noticed yet and was still frantic. Yes, I was heavily injured and have a twisted sense of humor. Sue me.

"Number one," I began, my voice hoarse, "If you hit me in the head, I think my brain would be splattered on the ground. Number two, you're still sitting on top of me. Not to be rude, but get off."

Finally noticing our position, Freakazoid jumped away from me, almost as if he had been burned. He reached out a hand to pull me up. I shook my head. "My one arm is broken and I can't feel the other."

His eyes went wide, filled with guilt.

"It's not your fault." I coughed.

He didn't respond, but he picked me up like he always did, and for once I didn't complain. I was tired. I didn't think I had gotten any sleep since Monday. He carried me outside and we were both surprised to see Cosgrove and Roddy standing in front of a cop car. They both seemed shocked to see us (Can't imagine why). They rushed over to us, concern in their eyes.

They began speaking, but things were getting blurrier and my hearing started to go.

"Lad...missing...where?"

"Kid...what...?"

"Cosgrove, Roddy...how...?"

"Cobra... Cave..."

I couldn't make out the conversation and I couldn't keep my eyes open. I heard the three call out to me as my eyes slid closed.

"Charlotte!"

That was all I heard before everything went black.

**.:Line Break:.**

...I hope you don't hate me for this. Anyway, review please!


	26. And the Hits Keep Coming

**Darkness: * watches Guitierrez run from angry fans with Nathalorial in the lead *** ...Anyway, I'm sorry for taking so long. If any of you read _**Healing Earth**_ I've explained that my family was hit by Sandy. Nothing serious, we just lost power for a few days and had to throw away a couple hundred dollars of food. I consider myself lucky as there are people who were not so lucky. But that combined with college preperations and SATs have made me quite busy. So, here's your new chapter.

**Spider's Claw: **You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that Charlotte isn't a Mary-sue. When I started writing I made all of my characters Mary-sues and it drove me crazy! I'm really going into unfamiliar territory with Charlotte, as normally my other OCs are usually goody-goodys from the get go. I hope you'll continue giving me your input.

**Nathalorial: **I hope you're not too angry with me, but the idea just wouldn't leave me alone! Though, now I _almost _feel bad for Guitierrez. _Almost_.

**L.S.S. Reaper Zonter: **I'll make more chapters, don't worry! I'm glad that you're enjoying the story!

**Haccat: * Guitierrez stops and points at haccat * "I am not a weenie, YOU are the weenie!" * Guitierrez runs again when Nathalorial starts to catch up * **(Sorry, couldn't resist. And yes, a weenie is hotdog meat. :)

**Guest: **I love Tim Burton's _Alice in Wonderland_! I'm glad you like it so far.

**Disclaimer: **Really? Really? I still have to say it? I don't own _Freakazoid_.

**.:Line Break:.**

When I awoke, the first thing I noticed was that I didn't feel pain. The second was the smell of disinfectant all around me.

Opening my eyes, I squinted at the bright white room I was in. I could feel my left arm again, but when I tried to move it, I felt a tug. I felt myself go pale as I realized that there was an I.V. needle in my arm.

For the record, I hate needles.

Then I noticed that I was wearing a short blue gown and there was a heart monitoring device hooked up to my chest. My right arm was in a cast from my palm to my elbow placed in a sling around my neck. As I attempted to sit up, pain shot up my spine from my upper body. I looked under my gown to see a long slit in my skin along my right side, closed up with stitches.

"Oh, god..." I realized, feeling sick to my stomach, "I'm in a hospital."

I believe that I've said this before, but I hate hospitals.

I was broken out of my thoughts when the door opened. Peeking in was none other than Freakazoid, who looked absolutely heartbroken upon seeing me awake. I waved him over. Taking a seat next to my hospital bed, he tried to look anywhere but my face. An awkward silence fell over us.

I just gazed at him. He had changed quite a bit since I met him. He was still goofy a lot, but in some ways he was also more mature and enlightened. I felt bad about that, it almost felt like it was my fault he became this way. He was like a kid who was being forced to grow up before he's ready. In some ways, that was good. With being a superhero, you need to be ready to face any evil, regardless of how twisted, sickening, or disturbing it is. On the other hand, he was so innocent when I met him, and in many ways he still is. I still want to protect him, to shelter him from the cruel place the world is. However, I knew that this was impossible.

I was proud of him though, for taking it as well as he has been. I know that what he's dealing with can't be easy, especially now. I doubt he's ever shed anyone's blood before, intentional or not. To be the source of another's pain, to have someone's blood on your hands, especially a friend's, it's not easy.

After a few minutes, I decided to break the silence. "So, come here often?"

He laughed briefly, though it was mostly bitter. "I don't, actually." Freakazoid finally looked at me, "And hopefully you don't have to either."

"You're a lot smarter than you let on, aren't you?" He nodded solemnly. "I'm sure you have questions to ask, but first, what's the damage report?"

He wore an expression of guilt and avoided my gaze once more. "Your left ankle is sprained, left shoulder was dislocated, but the doctors fixed it. There was some minor internal bleeding and your right arm is broken. Your ribs..." he trailed off.

"What about my ribs?"

He sighed, running a hand through his crazy hair. I had to admit, it was disconcerting seeing him in this state. "Four ribs are broken on your right side, but in between the four...the rib had been shattered... they had to remove the bone fragments."

I shrugged, "Is that all?"

Freakazoid looked at me like I was insane, which, considering the fact that I was in love with him, I probably was. "What do you mean, 'Is that all?' Charlotte, the doctors said that I could have killed you! You could have..." He didn't finish, not wanting to think about it.

"I heal faster than others, I'm also stronger than normal people. I'll be fine." I told him, fiddling with the key my mother gave me, which was thankfully still around my neck.

He just stared at me.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was afraid that you'd be disgusted by me. That's why I didn't tell Dexter."

He appeared to be baffled by my explanation, "I'm not disgusted. And Dexter wouldn't be either. Why would you think something like that?"

I sighed, closing my eyes for a minute. _/ "Monster! Abomination! If others knew they'd be disgusted! Repulsed!" /_

"I don't know." I lied.

"How did you... How did you get this way?"

I stared at the ceiling, thinking. "I think I was born like this." My eyes started to change colors, but I shook my head, stopping it. I turned my attention to him, "How did Cosgrove and Roddy find us?" I purposely changed the subject, not wanting to talk about it anymore.

"Cosgrove said that Cobra Queen and Caveguy told them that you went down to the docks and that they should follow you." He looked away for a moment, then looked back at me, "I'm so-"

"If you say you're sorry one more time, I swear to god I will throw something at your head!"

He instantly shut his mouth.

"You weren't yourself. It's not your fault. Guitierrez was controlling you, somehow."

"A chip."

I blinked at Freakazoid, confused, "Huh?"

Freakazoid rubbed the back of his neck, "There was a chip on the back of my neck that Guitierrez used to control me. Roddy says that when you revealed your identity, the shock overloaded and fried the chip."

"He was able to do all that with a single chip?" I asked incredulously, the very thought unsettling to me, "How did he get his hands on something like that? Did he make it?"

"No, he couldn't have. Guitierrez is terrible with technology, he must have gotten it from someone."

"But who? No offense, but the bad guys here are... well... pathetic and frankly not very bright." None of the ones I met seemed capable enough to do it.

"I don't know, but..." he paused, sighing, "One was put on Dexter too, since he's helped me out before."

My eyes went wide, "It's not on him now, is it?"

"No. When you were in surgery to get the fragments removed, I found him and snatched the chip off his neck. It's a good thing he doesn't have super powers too, or else it would have been harder to remove it."

I slumped back on the bed, sighing in relief. "Do you know when it was put on him?" I asked, thinking about his odd behavior on Monday.

Freakazoid fidgeted in his seat before responding, "I think I remember putting it on him on Saturday."

"YOU put it on him?!"

He waved his hands frantically in defense, "It's not like that! I already had my chip and I couldn't control myself!"

"Where's Dexter now?" I was curious as to why he wasn't in the room with Freakazoid.

_**"Maybe he meant what he said to you. Maybe the chip had no influence on him and he simple just spoke his mind."**_

___"Shut up!"_

"He's at home right now. I told him that it would be pointless for both of us to stay the night."

The part about staying the night threw me off. "The night?"

"Charlotte," he began, the guilt once again coming back on his face, "You've been out all night. It's noon, Saturday."

Shock silenced me and I could tell that Freakazoid saw it. He hung his head, obviously waiting for me to say something horrible to him. I didn't, though. Even if I wasn't so shocked, I wasn't angry at him. It really wasn't his fault.

When I found my voice again, the first words out of my mouth were, "Oh, crap! I missed Bleach yesterday!"

I swear that Freakazoid nearly fell out of his chair. "A tv show, Charlotte?!" he yelled in disbelief, "You were gone all night, nearly killed by your partner-"

"Best friend." I corrected, smiling.

He stared at me, gaping like a fish, caught off guard. "W-whatever! Like I was saying, you were gone all night, nearly killed, have terrible wounds, your brother and uncles are probably worried sick about you, and you're worried about a tv show?!"

"It's not just a tv show." I said playfully, "It's an anime and an awesome one at that." Now I was trying to cheer him up. I liked Freakazoid better when he was smiling and acting goofy. That was the Freakazoid I fell in love with.

He sighed and shook his head, allowing a small smile, "You're hopeless."

"You know, this conversation seems awfully familiar."

"Yeah, except I think the roles were reversed and neither of us was in the hospital."

I gasped playfully, feigning shock, "**You think?!**"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh, the horror..."

I raised a brow at him, "Okay, you need to stop hanging out with me so much. I'm starting to rub off on you."

We smiled at each other and I think he knew he was forgiven, not that there was anything to forgive. Hesitantly, Freakazoid reached out for my hand, but he stopped suddenly, looking unsure of himself. He clenched and unclenched his hand a few times, then reached out for my left hand, which was resting on the bed. He paused again just before touching me, checking my face for any signs that he should stop. Finding none, he finally took my hand in his, brushing his thumb over my knuckles.

And there it was. The pounding heart, the fluttering in my stomach, my blushing cheeks. I knew I was playing with fire. I knew how dangerous it was to fall in love. But at that moment, I didn't care. I'd worry about my dilemma later.

_"For now," _I decided, smiling warmly at Freakazoid, _"I'll just enjoy the moment."_

"The doctor that treated you," Freakazoid began, staring at our connected hands, "Dr. Accera, promised not to say anything about your situation. He said that he'd write you a note for school and he wanted me to tell you that, if anyone asks, you fell down a long flight of stairs and landed on your arm."

I nodded absently, "I see. Will you thank him for me?"

"Sure. Your costume...well...it's destroyed." He said, afraid to look into my eyes.

"Destroyed...how?"  
He sighed as his thumb stopped moving. "It was full of holes from the fight and had blood stains. They also had to cut it off your body so they could operate. They burned what was left to get rid of your DNA and hide your identity. Dr. Accera saw to it personally." he explained.

"Damnit!" I exclaimed, frustrated, "I made that damn thing by hand! It took a whole month to make!"

"I'm sorry." he apologized meekly, withdrawing his hand. I grabbed it before it got too far.

"I'm not mad at you." I clarified, "I'm just upset because that costume was the first outfit I ever made and it was when I turned my life around. I looked at it as a symbol of change. I can't make another until my arm heals, and even with my fast healing I don't know how long it'll take. It'll be a month after that before a new one will be done. Which means that I'll need you and Hatter to patrol and take care of crime for me until then. And I'm going to feel useless during that whole time."

"I can take care of things until then. I have another question, though."

"What is it?"

"IS your brother..." he trailed off, probably unsure of how to continue, "...Is William the Mad Hatter?"  
I nodded, resisting the urge to make a sarcastic comment about how obvious that was.

It was silent again, giving me time to think. I was tempted to ask him who he really was. To be honest, I was dying to know. I had no doubt that he would tell me, too. With how guilty he felt, he'd probably do anything to make it up to me.

_**"You should ask him."**_Madness whispered, _**"After all, if you're vulnerable, then he should be, too."**_

___"NO!" _I argued,_ "I won't take advantage of him like that!"_

_**"You should protect yourself. You don't want to get hurt again, do you?"**_

___"Shut up!" _I thought, clenching my eyes shut.

Freakazoid squeezed my hand, making the voices stop. The concern and worry on his face helped me make my decision. _"No. I will not ask." _I smiled at him, squeezing his hand back, _"He'll tell me when he's ready."_

"Will you, if you don't mind," I started quietly, "Will you get Dexter? I...want to talk to him."

Freakazoid grinned, nodded, and stood, reluctantly releasing my hand. "Yeah, I'll go get him. I think he'll be happy to see you. After I bring him here, I need to go on patrol, and maybe see if I can find Cobra Queen and Caveguy so I can thank them." he said as he walked a good distance away from the bed. "Oh, and Charlotte," he began, standing at the door, "I"m sorry."

"Hey, Freakazoid?" I said sweetly, stopping him. Picking up the Bible on the table next to me, I chucked it at his head. He flinched as it fell to the floor with a thud. I shrugged, grinning coyly, "I told you I'd throw something at you."

He rubbed his injured skull, "I thought you were right handed?"

"I am. I'm also left handed. Ambidextrous." I explained, waving my hand in a shooing motion, "Now go. You have work to do and I need to talk to Dexter. And then I'll have my brother and my uncles come see me and I'm sure you don't want to be here for that."

Freakazoid grinned his stupid grin, the grin that I loved and that filled me with joy, the grin that always made me grin back. "I hope you heal soon. I'm going to miss you while you're gone." And with that, he left, shutting the door behind him.

I blushed at his parting words. Sighing, I fell back into my bed, running my good hand through my hair. _"Oh, yeah. I'm in deep shit."_

I closed my eyes for a few moments before noticing something odd. It felt like my hand was burning. My eyebrows knit together and I opened my eyes as I pulled my hand out of my hair.

_"What the-"_

My eyes widened in both fear and shock at what I saw.

My hand, from the finger tips to my wrist, were burned. The strangest thing was that there was a darker burn in the center of my palm, shaped like a cross. It was then that a shocking revelation came to me.

_"The Bible __**burned**__ me..."_

As if that wasn't shocking enough, a thin, odorless gray smoke began to rise from my hand. Slowly, the burn disappeared, the cross leaving my skin last. When my hand was fully healed, the smoke dispersed.

Panic rose within me and my blood turned to ice in my veins. I started hyperventilating as I examined my hand. _"That was not human! What the hell am I?!" _When it became difficult to breath, I swallowed thickly and forced myself to calm down. _"Okay, okay, calm down." _I told myself, _"I'll figure this out later. After all, it's not life threatening and it's not like I'm going to be setting foot in a church anytime soon, I'll be fine." _I sighed, finally calm. _"I'll be okay. I'll just talk to Will, Uncle Tenpou, and the others later, see what they think. God, my life could not possibly get any worse!"_

**.:Line Break:.**

So, I don't know if there would be a Bible in a hospital room, but I needed there to be one. I'm a bit apprehensive about this chapter, so please tell me what you think.


	27. Author's Note: I'm Sorry

Hey, everyone. I'm sorry to do this, but I'm rewriting _Freaky Mad Darkness_. There are several reasons for this. The main reason, and I feel horrible for this, is that Charlotte was about to become a Mary-sue. Another reason is that my writing has somewhat improved and _Freaky Mad Darkness _was written when I was just starting out. I will keep several important plot points and the characters will stay the same, but the story line will be a little different. If you want, I will keep this version on the site. _Together, In a Freaky Mad Way _will not be affected by this, as it is a series of one-shots. I hope that you will read it. The rewrite will be titled _Freaky Mad Darkness: rewrite_. I hope to have the first chapter up by this Saturday. I do hope that you all aren't too angry and I hope that you'll be patient with me.

**– The Entity of Darkness**


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